Cyberpunk 2077 Couldn't Have Used The Witcher Engine

2020 is almost here, and one of the most highly-anticipated games hitting next year is Cyberpunk 2077, and luckily, CD Projekt RED has started sharing more details on the game and its development phase. Now, in an interview with MCVUK, producer Richard Borzymowski has explained the studio's necessity to evolve the RED Engine technology to version four in order to develop Cyberpunk 2077.

"First and foremost, we wouldn't be able to develop Cyberpunk on the exact same engine as the Witcher," Borzymowski said "The benefits of the new engine are that we are able to develop Cyberpunk 2077 in the first person perspective, with all the verticality of the various buildings and skyscrapers around the place."

Borzymowski went on to explain the studio's focus on global illumination: "Another thing is when it comes to doing global illumination," he said. "When we are creating anything, in this example the city, you have to have two versions of it: you have daytime and the nighttime city. And at night, you have all those neon lights in the city, especially after you know, rainfall or something like that. You could just develop the geometry for the buildings, and add the neon lights on top of that. You have the shader of the water dripping off, but this wouldn't give you as big an impression as having global illumination as well. So while developing, we always wanted to ensure we have this wow factor."

Borzymowski's comments remind us of how different Cyberpunk 2077 is from The Witcher 3, and it's good to know that the studio is using an engine more fitting for the sci-fi RPG.

Synopsis:

"Cyberpunk 2077 is an open-world, action-adventure story set in Night City, a megalopolis obsessed with power, glamour and body modification. You play as V, a mercenary outlaw going after a one-of-a-kind implant that is the key to immortality. You can customize your character's cyberware, skillset and playstyle, and explore a vast city where the choices you make shape the story and the world around you."

Here's a description of the Cyberpunk 2077 game: Cyberpunk 2077 is set to release on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on April 16, 2020.

Related: Cyberpunk 2077 Map Revealed and It Looks Quite Small