PS5 Unveils ‘The Witcher 4’ Unreal Engine 5 Tech Demo – PlayStation.Blog

Man, where do I even start with this tech demo? Okay, so CD Projekt Red teaming up with Epic Games is like, a big deal for those of us who live for open-world stuff. I mean, they’re dropping this Witcher 4 Unreal Engine 5 Tech Demo that’s supposed to make the old games look like ancient history. Or something like that.

First off, don’t get too excited — this isn’t actual gameplay, but come on, they’re throwing Ciri into a monster contract situation. Nice touch, right? And then there’s this whole new area, Kovir. Sounds rugged, full of trade, and apparently doesn’t bother with the war chaos from the north. Kinda wish I could visit a place like that IRL, but anyway.

Oh, yeah, and let’s talk about the tech, because that’s what this whole shebang is really about. They ran it on a PS5 at 60 frames per second, which, if you’re into that sort of detail, is pretty slick. What’s even cooler, maybe, is that they’re planning on letting other game creators use these tools. So, it’s not just a win for Witcher fans but for gamers everywhere. Sharing is caring, I guess.

By the way, Ciri’s horse Kelpie? Not to diss Roach, but Kelpie’s got this high-tech makeover. We’re talking muscles that flex in real-time with this tech called ML Deformer. It’s like… horse muscles on steroids, if that makes any sense. And the game still runs smoothly — no slowdowns. Impressive, right?

Then there’s Fast Geometry Streaming — sounds fancy, but it basically means no awkward pauses when the game loads stuff. Imagine zipping through mountains and forests with zero hiccups. I’m not saying it’s magic, but hey, it’s close.

Oh, and Nanite Foliage. This thing lets trees and plants look so real, you’d think you could smell the pine forest through your console. Seriously, it’s the little details that get me. Picture it: a soft breeze, branches swaying. Okay, I might be getting carried away with nature here.

Let’s not forget the Unreal Animation Framework — this one is about making towns feel alive. Like, more so than just the standard NPCs doing their NPC thing. I’m imagining lively marketplaces with folks that actually react to stuff. What a world, huh?

Speaking of crowds, there’s this Mass Framework that deals with a ton of characters at once. Picture this: Ciri bumps into some guy, drops apples everywhere, and kids start grabbing them. Total chaos! But it’s unscripted chaos, so it feels real. Moments like these? They make it feel like a real living world — and that’s what makes us come back for more, right?

Anyway, tech demos can be hit or miss, but man, seems like this one’s hitting all the right notes. Can’t wait to see it all come together whenever Witcher 4 finally drops. Here’s hoping it’s worth the wait.