Latest news with #StateofUnreal2025
Forbes
a day ago
- Business
- Forbes
Fortnite's Tim Sweeney Says 10 People Can Write ‘Breath Of Wild' With AI Soon
Breath of the Wild Nintendo Many gamers recently celebrated alongside Tim Sweeney as he and Epic claimed victory over Apple in a series of significant rulings meant to reduce the tech giant's ability to universally scoop up 30% of revenue from releases on its platform. But now? Sweeney is running in a new direction, full-steam toward the integration of AI into video games at a creative level, running afoul of many fans and developers alike. Fortnite has recently run an experiment with a (licensed) AI Darth Vader that responds in real-time to player voice chat. That has led to thousands of funny clips and huge player engagement, enough to be considered a big success. So Epic is barreling forward with more AI characters and other elements to come. Darth Vader Loserfruit Sweeney is a big driver of this, and his views on AI in game development are some of the most extreme in the industry in terms of embracing the technology, as he recently demonstrated when speaking to IGN at Epic's State of Unreal 2025 event. He talked about how AI was just another significant advance in technology, the type that gaming had embraced for years from 3D gaming to hardware and engines supporting hundreds of players for games like Fortnite. He says AI can produce branching dialogue that writers could never envision, but his most controversial comment would be the following: The idea that an entire team of Nintendo developers working for years to make GOTY winner Breath of the Wild could be replaced by a tiny team using AI sounds ridiculous on its face. Sweeney seems to be focused mainly on writing, but he doesn't expand on the implications of how that affects story. As in, you talk a character into switching sides in a conflict, opening up a new set of missions that were never meant to exist. How does that work? Perhaps the idea is that AI will just generate that too. Fallout 76 Bethesda Is his position actually unpopular? There seem to be four sides in this conversation: 1) Executives who see AI as the next big thing and will embrace and push it however they can, hopefully to lower costs, if nothing else. 2) Players who do not care about any of this and just want to make funny jokes with AI Darth Vader 3) Players who react to AI like touching a stove and want nothing to do with generative AI in their games, whether it's in writing, art, level-building, any of it. 4) The developers who do not want to lose their jobs as writers, artists and level-builders to AI, which they believe will make an inferior product and one based on their own stolen work. What will happen from here? This doesn't feel like the metaverse or the blockchain or VR pushes from before. AI is here and legitimately changing enormous industries and evolving at such a clip that it's impossible to say what happens from here. And you can say a lot about Sweeney, but he's often right about where things are headed. Follow me on Twitter, YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram. Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Epic Games and CD Projekt Red showcases Witcher 4 tech demo running at 60fps on PS5
Epic Games and CD Projekt Red unveiled an technical demonstration of The Witcher 4 running on Unreal Engine 5 .6 during Epic's State of Unreal 2025 event, showcasing the upcoming game's capabilities on base PlayStation 5 hardware at 60 frames per second with ray tracing enabled. The tech demo follows protagonist Ciri and her horse Kelpie through the previously unseen region of Kovir, including the bustling port city of Valdrest. Epic emphasized this was strictly a technical showcase, not actual gameplay footage, though it provides the clearest glimpse yet of what players can expect from the highly anticipated sequel. The demonstration highlighted several cutting-edge features including Fast Geometry Streaming for seamless world loading, ML Deformer technology for realistic character animations, and advanced crowd simulation supporting up to 300 individually animated NPCs in market scenes. The showcase also featured Nanite Foliage technology , set for release in Unreal Engine 5.7, which renders dense, high-fidelity vegetation without performance penalties. The Witcher 4 — Unreal Engine 5 Tech Demo Cross-generation release strategy confirmed The tech demo's performance on current-generation hardware suggests The Witcher 4 will be a cross-generational release, similar to Cyberpunk 2077's 2020 launch strategy. This approach allows the game to reach existing console owners while taking advantage of enhanced capabilities on newer systems. CD Projekt Red has indicated The Witcher 4 won't launch until 2027 at the earliest, ruling out releases in 2025 and 2026. The extended development timeline reflects the studio's commitment to avoiding the technical issues that plagued Cyberpunk 2077's initial release. Ciri takes center stage in new trilogy The demo confirms Ciri as the new protagonist, replacing Geralt in what CD Projekt describes as the first entry in a new Witcher trilogy. Executive producer Małgorzata Mitręga called Ciri "the very organic, logical choice" for continuing the saga beyond Geralt's story. The collaboration between Epic Games and CD Projekt Red extends beyond The Witcher 4, with both companies working to enhance Unreal Engine 5's open-world capabilities for the broader gaming industry. The demonstrated technologies will be available to all developers using the engine. 7 Things You May Have Missed in the GTA 6 Second Trailer AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
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Business Standard
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
State of Unreal 2025: The Witcher 4 previewed with Unreal Engine 5 graphics
Polish game developer CD Projekt RED has offered the first look at the gameplay of its upcoming title The Witcher 4 during the State of Unreal 2025 event. While the company clarified that the presentation wasn't actual gameplay footage, the technical demo provides a strong glimpse into the visual fidelity and systems the studio is building with Unreal Engine 5. On its official website, CD Projekt RED said: 'The Witcher 4 Unreal Engine 5 Tech Demo, presented at the State of Unreal 2025, dives into some of the innovative technology and features that will help bring the game's open world to life. Taking place in the never-before-seen region of Kovir, the tech demo is a first look at the cutting-edge technology powering The Witcher 4.' Captured on a PlayStation 5 running at 60 frames per second with ray tracing enabled, the demo showcases a 'standalone' demo built specifically to highlight the capabilities of Unreal Engine 5. For the uninitiated, Unreal Engine is a 3D creation tool developed by Epic Games that is primarily used for game development. Key highlights from The Witcher 4 demo: Seamless cinematic-to-gameplay transition The demo begins with a cinematic sequence showing a carriage being attacked by a winged creature. The action then shifts seamlessly to Ciri — confirmed as the main protagonist — as she investigates the scene in the new region of Kovir. The transition between cinematic and gameplay elements is smooth, offering a glimpse of the game's visual consistency and narrative immersion. CD Projekt RED also confirmed Kovir will be a playable region in The Witcher 4. Although the developer clarified that it's not actual gameplay footage, the seamless transition between cinematic and gameplay elements is still quite impressive. New Physics and realism The presentation demonstrated the enhanced power of Unreal Engine 5, particularly in environmental detail and character movement. One standout moment featured Ciri riding her horse Kelpie through the wilderness, with close attention paid to muscle flexing during each stride. The foliage and terrain were brought to life using Nanite Foliage — a feature in UE5 that enables developers to populate worlds with highly detailed, full-geometry grass, trees, and plants. The demo also showcased dynamic NPC (non-playable character) interactions. In one scene, Ciri bumps into a fruit vendor in a crowded market, spilling his crate of apples. A nearby NPC then rushes over to help pick them up. CD Projekt RED noted that such incidental reactions will be a part of the game world, increasing realism and immersion. Launch timeline Despite showing significant development progress, The Witcher 4 isn't expected to launch before 2026. In fact, a delay to 2027 remains likely. At a previous earnings call, CD Projekt RED CFO Piotr Nielubowicz stated: 'All we could share for now, to give more visibility to investors, is that the game will not be launched within the timeframe of the first target for the incentive programme, which ends 31st of December 2026.' Ciri taking on the role of protagonist was first confirmed in the game's reveal trailer during The Game Awards 2024, marking a new chapter in the franchise after the Geralt-led trilogy.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
The Witcher 4: Ciri confirmed as lead, platforms and engine upgrades revealed
Fans hoping to play The Witcher 4 soon will have to wait. CD Projekt Red confirmed during the State of Unreal 2025 event that the next Witcher game is not coming before 2026. While the new tech demo was polished and impressive, the developers made it clear this was only a glimpse of what's to come. The project is still deep in development and will need more time before it's ready. This reveal follows the game's original teaser in late 2024. The developers called this a 'vertical slice' rather than a finished product. The wait may be long, but the results so far show big promise. Ciri takes over the franchise Thanks for tuning in to The Witcher 4 — Unreal Engine 5 tech demo and joining us during the State of Unreal 2025! #UnrealFestThe full presentation will be uploaded and shared with everyone later today, but in the meantime, here's four screenshots straight from the demo to tide… In a major change, Ciri is now the main character. This is the first game where Geralt won't be playable, with CD Projekt Red officially saying, 'This is Ciri's story now.' It's not just a new face for the series. It's a new direction. Ciri brings a mix of power, emotion, and mystery that can take the story into unexpected places. The game is also set to kick off a brand-new trilogy, focused on a post-Geralt world. Next-gen visuals with Unreal Engine 5.6 Details like mud sticking to the horse's hooves or trees moving with the wind made the world feel realistic. NPCs reacted to Ciri walking past. It looked more real than anything seen in a Witcher game before. Other Witcher projects also in the works First look at 'THE WITCHER 4' tech on standard PS5 at 60FPS. CDPR didn't stop at one project. The studio confirmed that alongside Witcher 4, there's also a remake of the first Witcher game from 2007. That remake is being rebuilt with modern tech. Another title, a multiplayer spin-off codenamed 'Sirius,' is being developed by The Molasses Flood. Both of these will be worked on at the same time, and the studio promised that the main game's story and quality won't be affected by side projects. Will Witcher 4 be cross-gen? No matter what, CDPR says they want Witcher 4 to be their next flagship title. They're aiming high. This could be the most ambitious fantasy RPG of the decade. FAQs When is The Witcher 4 release date? Who is the main character in Witcher 4? Will Geralt be in Witcher 4? What platforms will Witcher 4 be on?
Time of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
7 takeaways from the Witcher 4 UE 5.6 Tech Demo
Image via: CD Projekt RED During Epic Games' State of Unreal 2025 keynote, CD Projekt Red unveiled a jaw-dropping technical demo of The Witcher 4-not a chunk of the game itself but rather an imposing series of visuals and technical showcases for Unreal Engine 5.6. It may take years before the fully operational game sets foot on U.S. soil, but what we have witnessed are glimpses at the future of open-world RPGs. Here are seven takeaways from the presentation that may change the fantasy worlds that players are accustomed to. 1. Ciri Takes Center Stage For the first time, Ciri is featured as the main protagonist. Set years after the events of The Witcher 3, she is a witcher now seasoned in riding the snowy peaks of Kovir, a fresh region added to the franchise. This shift means taking a new narrative perspective towards this trilogy focusing on her unusual powers and unexplored past. The Witcher 4 - UE 5.6 Tech Demo | State of Unreal 2025 2. Transitions Are Smooth Between Cinematic and Gameplay One feature stood out: no smooth handoff between pre-rendered cinematic and real-time gameplay. The lingering creature ambush morphed into a controlled exploration by the player without a single cut. That dynamic interaction goes down as more than mere technical exposure-it gives away on the standards for immersion in The Witcher 4, blurring the difference between storyline and action. 3. Muscles, Motion, and the Horse That Stole the Show Kelpi is beyond just a mode of transport. It is an engineering marvel. The demo displayed musculature detail in motion through advanced skeletal simulation offered by UE 5.6. Such realism was not merely skin-deep; 4. Valdrest: A World Alive With Its Own Philosophy When Ciri reaches the bustling town of Valdrest, the world had better respond to such things on a much larger scale. The NPCs react dynamically, not just to Ciri, but to one another too-a villager dropping food caused a cascade of reactions among the townsfolk. Epic has indicated this was a scene with over 300 skeletal mesh agents being simulated at once, without any performance drop on a standard PlayStation 5. The Witcher 4 — Unreal Engine 5 Tech Demo 5. Real-Time Streaming of the World, No Compromises Unreal Engine's Fast Geometry Streaming Plugin facilitated seamless exploration with Ciri freely moving between open mountain roads, narrow alleys, and lively markets, without any loading screens or pop-in. Hence, we have large uninterrupted worlds not as some next-gen promise but something present in the reality. 6. Ray-Traced Beauty at 60 FPS on Console A very worthy technical feat for the demo to be running at 60 frames per second with ray tracing on a base PS5. This means that Witcher 4 will not be reserved for future consoles. It will instead become a cross-generational premium experience much like Cyberpunk 2077. Did the Witcher 4 Devs just fix UE5? The Witcher 4 "Gameplay" Tech Demo Unreal Engine 5.6 Analysis 7. A Glimpse into CDPR and Epic's Long-Term Vision This demo was as much about Epic's engine as it was about The Witcher. Both companies emphasized this was a testbed for new tools co-developed to support sprawling, reactive open worlds. The implications go far beyond one game—the technologies on display are building blocks for the next decade of RPG development. While The Witcher 4 remains on the horizon, the UE 5.6 tech demo offers a compelling preview of what's to come. Everyone is waiting for the saga to get released soon.
