In news that will have longtime fans rejoicing alongside newfound converts from Netflix, CD Projekt Red has told journalists in Poland that it intends to move back to The Witcher's universe after it finishes with its behemoth current project, Cyberpunk 2077.
The developer's president Adam Kiciński told a small group of writers about the plan, and revealed that the concept for the game is apparently relatively advanced, while development will really ramp up "immediately" after Cyberpunk 2077 releases in September this year.
Beyond that, Kiciński was being cagey, as you'd expect - not giving away any details of what the game's plot might be, whether it would star your gruff old favourite Geralt, or when it would be set in the universe's extended timeline. However, he did say that the game would not be called The Witcher 4, suggesting that it's unlikely to follow on directly from the events of The Witcher 3.
As is relatively common in studios that have big enough teams to accommodate it, CD Projekt Red has a small team working on this Witcher game for now, while the vast majority of its developers concentrate on finishing Cyberpunk 2077. Kiciński also said that the company is currently only working on projects in the Cyberpunk and Witcher franchises.
An enticing thought
It's hard not to get excited by the prospect of another game in the Witcher series - each entry in the franchise has marked a notable step up in quality from its predecessor, and if that trick is repeated then the next Witcher game could be an all-time great.
After all, The Witcher 3 remains one of the finest games ever released, whether you're coming at it from a writing and narrative point of view, or simply weighing up the brutal beauty of its game world and design.
We're unlikely to get more firm details on the distant game for some time, but it's reassuring to know that it's on the way.