Summary
For years,Red Dead Redemption 2has been the definitive name in gaming horses, with a wide range of realistically rendered mounts spanning over a dozen different breeds with unique characteristics and stats. However, a recent tech demo forThe Witcher 4showed off the game’s take on Ciri’s iconic mount, Kelpie, lovingly rendered in Unreal Engine 5 with detailed muscle movement and smooth gaits. With Kelpie,The Witcher 4might just be coming forRed Dead Redemption 2’sequine crown.
There are many iconic horses in gaming, ranging fromThe Elder Scrolls’Shadowmereto Link’s faithful steed Epona inThe Legend of Zelda,buttheRed Dead Redemptionseries always put a strong emphasis on realism and variety in its mounts.Red Dead Redemption 2featured 19 real-life breeds of horse, including Appaloosas, Shires, and even rare Arabians, with stats based on whether the horse was best suited for war, work, racing, everyday riding, or hauling heavy loads (draft).
The different breeds ofhorse inRed Dead Redemption 2feature varied designs, with draft and war horses featuring noticeable muscles compared to the more slender racehorses or stouter mounts made for everyday riding. Many breeds also came in multiple coat colors, some far rarer than others, offering a challenge to players who wanted to obtain specific colorations.
The Witcher 4Brings Unparalleled Realism With Ciri’s Horse Kelpie
In aThe Witcher 4tech demoshown off at Unreal Fest 2025, representatives from CD Projekt RED revealed Kelpie, Ciri’s horse. Kelpie, a black mare with unusual speed, stamina, and other supernatural abilities, was first introduced in Andrzej Sapkowski’s novelThe Tower of the Swallow,and has been Ciri’s faithful companion throughout her journeys.
The Witcherseries was already known for its well-designed horses in the form of Roach, Geralt’s steed, who accompanied him during all three previousWitchergames, even brieflygaining the ability to speak inThe Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.However, the use of Unreal Engine 5 has allowed CD Projekt RED to animate Kelpie’s body and movements with greater realism and fluidity than Roach’s. During the tech demo, CD Projekt RED representatives explained that riding Kelpie is designed to feel seamless and fun, as though she and Ciri are truly one being rather than two separate characters.
Using multi-character motion matching designed inUnreal Engine 5, Ciri and Kelpie are completely in sync from the moment Ciri mounts up until she dismounts. Kelpie’s movement is also realistic, with muscles rippling and stretching with every stride. The tech demo shows off multiple gaits, including a medium-paced trot, a smooth canter and a rolling gallop, a major improvement over the one or two gaits most video game horses are limited to.
It has not yet been confirmed whether Kelpie is the only horse Ciri will be able to ride inThe Witcher 4 -Wild Huntdid not limit Geralt to a singular “Roach,” but allowed him to try out a black stallion and even a unicorn during one memorable quest inBlood and Wine.It islikely thatThe Witcher 4will not feature the same variety of mounts asRed Dead Redemption 2,but there is a chance that Ciri may be able to try out horses other than Kelpie during certain quests and events.
The Witcher 4definitely seems poised to become the new gold standard in its portrayal of horses, although it will not be without competition. Several upcoming games will also feature horses, most notablyGhost of Yotei,which includes herds of wild horses in addition to Atsu’s own mount. Hopefully,The Witcher 4will only be the beginning of a new wave of realistic, detailed horses in video games.
The Witcher 4
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The Witcher IV is a single-player, open-world RPG from CD PROJEKT RED. At the start of a new saga, players take on the role of Ciri, a professional monster slayer, and embark on a journey through a brutal dark-fantasy world. Powered by Unreal Engine 5, it aims to be the most immersive and ambitious open-world Witcher game to date.
