The Witcher 4 Gameplay: What We Know About Combat, Magic and Choices

Since the reveal, CD PROJEKT RED has described The Witcher 4 as a “single-player open-world role-playing game.” On August 24, 2026, joint CEO Michał Nowakowski summed it up in three parts: a huge and immersive open world, intense and action-packed gameplay, and a deep, impactful story. As early as May 2024, he stressed that Polaris was “definitely still a role-playing game,” though there would be changes compared with Witcher 3 – he did not say which.

The only statement on size comes from game director Sebastian Kalemba in December 2024: the map and the number of quests are “more or less the same” as in Witcher 3, there are new regions, and the rule is “quality over quantity.” So far we know of the kingdom of Kovir with the port town of Valdrest and the village of Stromford in the north; more under locations.

Animation director Maciej Pietras hinted at the direction in March 2026: the team is trying to focus on the open world and builds villages from their daily life – who lives there, what trade they follow, where the blacksmith gets his iron. The goal is one-off moments that stick with you even when they have nothing to do with the main story. The tech demo showed an example: a merchant stumbles, his apples roll down the hill and trigger unscripted chain reactions. Keep in mind that the demo was explicitly not gameplay.

So far, the reveal trailer from December 12, 2024, is the main source for what Ciri can do. According to the press release, it showcases “Ciri’s new abilities and tools, including a chain and advanced magic powers.” In the official trailer breakdown, Kalemba explains that the chain is a nod to the very first Witcher trailer and that Ciri can enchant it – which is why it is wreathed in fire.

Kalemba describes her magic like this: Ciri is a powerful Source who can drain energy from the elements of the world and channel it into a very strong spell. A potion also appears – not a regular potion, Kalemba says, but a poison of the kind witchers can prepare. CD PROJEKT RED has not said whether Ciri will also use witcher Signs such as Igni or Quen.

Ciri is meant to play differently from Geralt. Executive producer Małgorzata Mitręga said in December 2024 that she is faster and more agile, but you can still tell she was raised by Geralt. She is no longer as overpowered as at the end of Witcher 3 – “something totally happened” in between. What exactly is part of the story; more about her under Ciri.

The trailer is pre-rendered, but according to CDPR it was made with assets and models from the game itself. It shows what Ciri is meant to be capable of, not how the game controls.

As in Witcher 3, choices are meant to be at the center. Kalemba said in December 2024: “We want to put player agency in the center.” In the official trailer breakdown, he adds that the trailer is an actual quest from the game and that there will be choices and consequences – including a way to save the sacrificial girl Mioni. In the pre-rendered trailer Mioni dies, as animation director Maciej Pietras recounts on the AnsweRED Podcast; in the game, the outcome is meant to be up to you.

That fits the theme CD PROJEKT RED has set for the game: exploring what it means to become a witcher and following Ciri along that path. How far the consequences of your choices reach, whether there are multiple endings and whether Witcher 3 saves matter has not been announced. The story in context is under story, and the question of which Witcher 3 ending fits is covered under Witcher 3 ending.

CD PROJEKT RED has not presented a combat system yet. The tech demo had none; Charles Tremblay, VP of Technology, put it plainly – “there’s no combat” – and said the full gameplay loop was not implemented yet. The duel scenes in the trailer were made with motion capture together with Platige Image – nothing in them is played.

The only concrete insights come from the official AnsweRED Podcast in March 2026. Maciej Pietras explains that Ciri’s sword swings are “like 20, 30% sped up,” because in real time they would otherwise feel light or just wrong. The team calls this “stylized realism”: whatever the player controls has to respond instantly, while cinematics can go fully realistic. Senior gameplay animator Dominika Staniaszek adds that Cyberpunk 2077 used around 80 animations for combat locomotion – “and I think now it will be even more.”

This is a look at the animation work, not a description of the combat system. Whether there are dodge rolls, parries, stamina or combos is still open.

Ciri travels on horseback in the tech demo from June 3, 2025: on her mare Kelpie, she rides through the mountains and forests of Kovir to Valdrest. On the tech side, CD PROJEKT RED highlighted the ML Deformer, which makes Kelpie’s muscles move realistically. In the AnsweRED Podcast, Pietras recalls that the team motion-captured the horse – which meant taking the whole stage outdoors.

That does not mean a riding system with controls, gear or horse races like in Witcher 3 has been announced. CDPR has not mentioned fast travel, boats or climbing either. More about Kelpie under characters.

Two passages from the AnsweRED Podcast are often read as confirmation. They are not. Pietras is talking about how quickly the number of animations grows, and he explicitly says up front that he cannot reveal much: “What if she’s jumping? What if she’s riding a horse? What if she’s underwater?” That is a thought experiment about workload, not an announcement that Ciri can swim underwater.

Elsewhere he uses the example of Ciri casting a spell while the player moves her at the same time – feet, hand and body then have to fit together. Again, that explains an animation problem rather than confirming a game system. Staniaszek talks about jump animations in games in similarly general terms.

Reports such as “jump button confirmed” or “diving confirmed” therefore go beyond the official transcript. Our verdict is in the rumor check.