The Witcher 4 is in production hell because of the Unreal Engine

Daniel Vavra, creator of the Kingdom Come trilogy and Warhorse Studios co-founder, criticizes Unreal Engine's limitations for complex open-world games, suggesting it's the source of The Witcher 4's development difficulties. He claims Unreal struggles with intricate environments, particularly vegetation, stating, "Unreal works well for deserts and rocks, but the engine couldn't handle trees for a long time." Vavra highlights the inadequacy of Nanite technology for realistic vegetation rendering.

A CD Projekt employee, according to Vavra, confirmed that scenes previously running smoothly on REDengine now present significant challenges in Unreal Engine, leading to considerable production hurdles. Vavra questions CD Projekt's decision to switch from their own capable REDengine, noting that most open-world developers utilize proprietary engines.

Vavra also points out the high system requirements of Unreal Engine, requiring expensive hardware beyond the reach of many players, despite its ability to generate stunning visuals.

Meanwhile, anticipation builds for the February 4th release of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, continuing Indřich's story with improved graphics, refined combat, and a historically-grounded narrative. This article provides updated information including system requirements and estimated playtime. We will also provide download instructions upon release.