- The Witcher 4 is aiming to present superior combat to its predecessor.
- CDPR hired a former God of War combat designer to work on the game as part of these efforts.
- The team has also hired other high-profile developers from other studios to work on its next big RPG.
CDPR is currently working on The Witcher 4, and as part of its goals for the RPG, the team intends to offer much-improved combat this time around.
The studio has already been hard at work polishing its melee combat, and recently, it has come to light that a key developer from Santa Monica Studio has joined The Witcher 4 team to further push the combat system.
Why it matters: Santa Monica Studio just announced God of War Laufey, showcasing its latest combat system for the series. Moreover, the combat system from the last two games was also quite well-received.
Last year, Jacqueline Kate Salsman joined CDPR to work on The Witcher 4 as an Expert Gameplay Designer. The developer previously worked at Santa Monica Studio for multiple years as a Senior Combat Designer.
She last worked at the studio between 2023 and 2025, confirming that Jacqueline Kate Salsman was also involved in work on God of War Laufey. Moreover, the developer contributed to both God of War 2018 and Ragnarok, in addition to titles like The Callisto Protocol.
Ultimately, this means that The Witcher 4’s combat will benefit from the experience she gained during the development of these titles. Santa Monica Studios’ modern combat system is quite a step up compared to what The Witcher 3 offered in 2015, so Jacqueline’s presence in the team should lead to a positive impact on the RPG’s development.
This move is part of a large hiring spree at CDPR as it continues to build an exceptional team for the RPG.
The Witcher 4’s development is now quite far along, but the game is still expected to be a few years out. CDPR’s recent DLC announcement for The Witcher 3 suggests its sequel will launch in 2028.
Do you think the Santa Monica developer will leave a major impact on Ciri’s combat style? Let’s discuss in the comments and on the Tech4Gamers Forums.
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[Senior News Reporter]
Avinash is currently pursuing a Business degree in Australia. For more than 5 years, he has been working as a gaming journalist, utilizing his writing skills and love for gaming to report on the latest updates in the industry. Avinash loves to play action games like Devil May Cry and has also been mentioned on highly regarded websites, such as IGN, GamesRadar, GameRant, Dualshockers, CBR, and Gamespot.
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