We still don't know a huge amount about The Witcher 4. But we do know it represents two big changes for the series thus far. The first change is, of course, that Ciri will replace Geralt as the lead character. The second is that CD Projekk will replace its in-house REDengine with Unreal Engine 5.

There's been considerable speculation as to why CDP is abandoning tech that's delivered some of the most cutting-edge visuals of the last decade, with some fans suggesting that Cyberpunk 2077's difficult development and compromised initial release might be a factor. But the studio's co-CEO Michał Nowakowski has formally dismissed this suggestion, stating the decision had more to do with CD Projekt's general ambitions than Cyberpunk specifically.

Speaking on the Deconstructor of Fun podcast (via GamesRadar+), Nowakowski addressed the claim that Cyberpunk was the straw that broke REDengine's back: "A lot of people think like this, but this is a bit of a false assumption," he explained. "Because the issue with Cyberpunk was not really REDengine itself.

Instead, Nowakowski said that CD Projekt never really wanted to be an engine developer in the first place, stating that. "The dream of the company was actually never to make technology." He conceded that CD Projekt did want to make "visually and technically cutting edge games", for which in-house tech seemed to be the optimal solution for the studio. But what ultimately drives the company is "telling the stories in the most convincing and immersive way."

Hence, when CD Projekt's leadership saw The Matrix Awakens demo of Unreal Engine 5, they decided that adopting third-party tech would be preferable to continuing building their own tech. "If we form a relationship with Unreal and if we work on certain things which are specifically required to make games of the size and scope and certain technicalities about it that we need for games, it could actually work."

With this in mind, CD Projekt pitched a "strategic collaboration" to Epic, where they would not simply license the tech but influence its direction from the inside. "We're actually, I think, the only team in the world outside of Epic that deals with the inside of the 'black box' that the engine is. Nobody else is doing that except for us and them, which we do through collaborative efforts together," Nowakowski remarked.

It'll be interesting to see what impact CD Projekt's input has on Unreal Engine 5 going forward, since the tech has thus far gained a reputation for being a stuttering mess. I'm also intrigued as to whether CD Projekt's input is limited to Unreal Engine 5, or whether the studio's voice carries through to the AI-heavy Unreal Engine 6—given Nowakowski's previous statement that the company isn't "planning to rely on AI making complete games".

Marvel's Wolverine has been the subject of intense fan mockery in the days since its release (and even before), largely thanks to the game's overbearing Scent Trail - dubbed a 'fart trail' in some online circles. Developer Insomniac Games has now nerfed the glowing line that often points Logan to his next objective.

Look in most corners of the gaming internet, and you'll probably find players making fun out of Marvel's Wolverine for a few different reasons. Chief among them is the game's tendency to lead players in the right direction a little too hard - the aforementioned scent trail, frequent voice lines, and on-screen markers make sure you never get lost in the world.

But fans have taken issue with the hand-holdy design. Recalling discourse around yellow paint in games like Resident Evil or Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, some players have complained that the overbearing reminders remove any sense of exploration in levels and can sometimes feel condescending.

Insomniac Games has now swooped in with a small patch, seemingly in response to the intense online backlash. "This hotfix adjusts the presentation of the Scent Trails and Audio Sense indicators, including reduced opacity to make these visuals less intense," the studio writes in the game's latest patch notes.

There may even be an option to turn off both features entirely in an update down the line, according to the developer: "Our team continues to evaluate ways to further improve Senses in the game, including exploring toggleable options for a future update." No word yet on when or if such an update might come, however.

Elsewhere in the hotfix, Insomniac has squashed a couple "common crashes experienced by a small percentage of players since launch."

Earlier in the week, Insomniac's community director James Stevenson said the team has been "cooking hard" in response to player feedback. So expect a few more updates of this ilk.

Marvel's Wolverine star calls his role "the honor of a lifetime," and couldn't be more grateful to Insomniac: "You've given this nerdy kid more than he ever dreamed of"