We have already seen a handful of games built on Unreal Engine 5, but versions 5.6 and 5.7 bring major advancements, as demonstrated in a new The Witcher 4 tech demo.
You may recall the impressive first demonstration of Unreal Engine 5, released in May 2020 ahead of the PS5 and Xbox Series X launch later that year.
However, Unreal Engine 5 was not ready in time for the console launches, and versions 5.0 and 5.1 lack many of the innovations originally highlighted by Epic Games and Sony. The few UE5 games we have seen so far are typically based on 5.0 – for example Black Myth: Wukong and Senua's Saga: Hellblade II. Fortnite runs on 5.1.
Unreal Engine 5.6 and 5.7
The innovations announced back in 2020 are finally coming to life in Unreal Engine 5.6, where Fast Geometry Streaming enables extremely fast loading of objects and creatures without loading screens, while Nanite Foliage in 5.7 allows for extremely detailed landscapes, trees and more.
- "We're paying attention to the large scale too. Fast Geometry Streaming allows everything in the tech demo — from the snowy mountaintops to the deep valleys and vast forests — to seamlessly load without compromising performance. It's present throughout the tech demo, and the fact it can't be noticed proves it's doing its job," said Sebastian Kalemba, Game Director, The Witcher 4, and continues:
- "(Nanite Foliage) renders incredibly detailed and realistic trees and vegetation in terms of both density and fidelity, without compromising performance ... such as lush trees with individual branches that sway in the wind."
Epic Games and CD Projekt Red on stage presenting the tech demo of The Witcher 4, which will run on Unreal Engine 5.7 – or later
The Witcher 4 puts it on display
All of this is demonstrated in a new demo of The Witcher 4, currently in development at CD Projekt Red. It is not finished gameplay but described as a tech demo. With The Witcher 4 – and the next Cyberpunk – CD Projekt Red is switching from its own REDEngine to Unreal Engine.
The embedded demo below is impressive on many fronts, although it does not appear to be rendered in 4K. According to Epic Games, the graphics are rendered on a standard PlayStation 5 at 60 frames per second with raytracing.
- "The tech demo provides an early look at a number of 5.6's powerful new open-world features in action — all running on PlayStation 5 at 60 frames per second with raytracing — including the new, faster way to load open worlds via the Fast Geometry Streaming Plugin. As Ciri explores the bustling market of Valdrest, we see how 5.6 handles busy scenes full of high-fidelity characters and visual effects like ML Deformer. The tech demo also showcases Nanite Foliage — which provides a fast and memory efficient way to achieve gorgeous foliage density and fidelity, slated for release in UE 5.7," said Epic Games.
There is not much else to say: Watch the demo and judge for yourself. For more details, both Epic and Sony have published information here and here.
CD Projekt Red has indicated that The Witcher 4 will launch in 2027 at the earliest.
The Witcher 4 tech demo
FlatpanelsHD
