Is It Going to Flop? The Witcher 4 Is Making the Same Mistake as Cyberpunk 2077
3The Witcher 4 is officially in development—and for RPG fans, that sounds like a dream come true. But beneath the hype and glowing tech demos, something feels... off. From suspiciously flawless footage to marketing déjà vu, CD Projekt Red might be setting itself up for a repeat of Cyberpunk 2077’s disastrous launch. This isn’t just speculation. There are real warning signs, and today we’re diving deep to unpack what they mean.
STORY / SETTING / LORE
Let’s start with what we know about The Witcher 4. First teased at The Game Awards 2024, it’s one of three major projects CD Projekt Red has announced—alongside a new Cyberpunk game and a remake of the original Witcher. This new game isn’t just another installment; it’s the true sequel to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
But here’s the twist: Geralt of Rivia, the series’ iconic protagonist for nearly 20 years, is stepping aside. Instead, Ciri—the young woman who, depending on your choices in Witcher 3, can become a powerful Witcher herself—will take center stage.
For longtime fans, this handoff isn’t totally unexpected. One of Witcher 3’s canonical endings literally passes the torch to Ciri, hinting at her potential to lead. But it’s also a huge risk. Geralt’s story was the heart and soul of the franchise. Can CDPR deliver the same emotional depth and gripping narrative with Ciri in the lead?
On paper, Ciri offers exciting possibilities. Her powers go beyond anything Geralt had, including time travel and dimensional shifts. This could open the door for fresh storytelling and gameplay mechanics. But the question remains: will the narrative resonate as strongly?
The transition is delicate, and fans are divided. This alone wouldn’t be worrying if it weren’t paired with other red flags.
GAMEPLAY / MECHANICS / COMBAT
This is where the first real warning signs appear.
At the 2025 State of Unreal presentation, CD Projekt Red revealed footage they claimed was gameplay from The Witcher 4. The graphics were jaw-dropping—lush forests, realistic lighting, dynamic weather effects, and seamless combat sequences. Every frame looked next-gen flawless with zero glitches or frame drops.
Sounds amazing, right? Well, here’s the catch: it wasn’t actual gameplay. It was a *tech demo* built using Unreal Engine 5 to showcase the engine’s capabilities—not the current state of the game.
This kind of demo isn’t unheard of. Remember The Matrix Awakens tech demo or the iconic Final Fantasy PS3 teaser? They’re created to wow audiences and push tech boundaries but aren’t real playable content.
What’s different here is how CD Projekt Red handled it. The disclaimer that it wasn’t actual gameplay was tiny and easy to miss. There was no verbal clarification during the presentation. This blurred the lines, causing confusion and raising false expectations in the community.
If this feels familiar, it’s because it mirrors the Cyberpunk 2077 hype cycle, where trailers promised one thing, and the final product delivered something very different.
GRAPHICS / SOUND / PERFORMANCE
Visually, the Witcher 4 tech demo might be the most stunning thing CD Projekt Red has ever shown. But beauty alone isn’t enough—and in fact, it can backfire if it’s used to mask the truth.
Cyberpunk 2077’s pre-release footage set unrealistically high expectations. When the game launched, many players were hit with downgraded graphics, buggy AI, and performance issues—especially on older consoles. The contrast between trailer and reality led to massive backlash.
Right now, the Witcher 4 demo is flirting with the same trap. The level of detail shown is likely unattainable in an actual open-world game that’s still years from completion.
Worse, the lack of clear labeling feels like a deliberate attempt to mislead, or at least a failure of transparency. It creates mistrust at a time when CD Projekt Red should be rebuilding its reputation.
Want to try the latest games without breaking the bank? Check out GameFly and start your free trial!
🎮 Link: https://www.gamefly.com/ad/track/cmju62
Watch our other videos on GTA 6: • Did Rockstar Just Change GTA Forever?
More gaming news you might like: • GAMING NEWS
👍 Hit the like button if you found this video helpful!
➡ ️ Subscribe for more deep dives into the biggest gaming news!
The Witcher 4 is generating buzz, but some fans are wary, noting a similarity to Cyberpunk 2077's marketing. Concerns are rising about a potential repeat of past missteps by cd project red, especially regarding the game's story and setting. Will the new installment live up to the hype, or will it fall short like cyberpunk orion?
Other Videos By Wazzup Nerd Insider
Other Statistics
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Statistics For Wazzup Nerd Insider
At present, Wazzup Nerd Insider has 1,909 views spread across 5 videos for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, with his channel publishing less than an hour of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt content. This makes up less than 0.23% of the total overall content on Wazzup Nerd Insider's YouTube channel.