The Witcher 4 Leans on Consoles First, But PC Will Still Shine
CD Projekt Red, masters of sprawling RPGs, seems determined to push our PCs to their limits once again with The Witcher 4. However, this time around, it looks like they're taking a "more-console first" approach to development.
In a recent discussion with Digital Foundry, developers from CD Projekt and Epic Games shed light on the studio's strategy. The conversation revolved around the technical aspects of the recent Witcher 4 tech demo, the one featuring familiar voices and detailed horse anatomy. It turns out that optimizing for consoles is a key priority this time.
"We always do PC and we push and then we try to scale down," Charles Tremblay, CD Projekt’s VP of technology, explained. He went on to say that past difficulties have led them to prioritize console development, collaborating with Epic to achieve 60fps on the PS5. In other words, getting the game running smoothly on consoles is the foundation upon which the PC version will be built.
This focus on console performance isn't entirely surprising, especially considering the rocky launch of Cyberpunk 2077. While PC players encountered their share of bugs, console versions generally suffered more severe issues. Although, if I'm being honest, I do remember some pretty wacky glitches from the start of my first playthrough, but nothing that made me regret buying it.
PC Enhancements Still in the Works
Now, before all you PC enthusiasts start panicking, fear not! CD Projekt still intends to let you leverage the full power of your high-end rigs. While the exact details are still being ironed out, it sounds like they're committed to delivering a premium experience for PC gamers. It’s like building a house, the foundation is important but you also want the fancy decorations.
Jakub Knapik, CD Projekt's VP and global art director, assured that scaling up from console to PC is easier than the reverse. He highlighted that technologies like Lumen, Unreal Engine 5's global illumination and reflections system, offer consistent visual representation across different hardware tiers. This means they can establish a solid base and then enhance it for PC.
Knapik also mentioned plans to "expand all the raytracing features forwards" on PC, ensuring that those who invest in powerful desktops are rewarded with stunning visuals. After all, who wouldn't want to see hyper-realistic reflections in a puddle or intricately rendered details on every surface?
"In the past, something that's [been] super important for the group is that if people pay good money for the hardware, we want them to have what the game can provide for that [top hardware], not like a simplified experience," Tremblay emphasized. So, rest assured, CD Projekt aims to deliver a truly enhanced experience for PC gamers who want to push their hardware to the limit.
Source: Rock Paper Shotgun