CD Projekt Red CEO Hopes The Witcher 4 Restores Player Trust
CD Projekt Red CEO Michał Nowakowski has publicly stated the studio's reputation is still in recovery and hopes the upcoming The Witcher 4 will help restore player trust lost after Cyberpunk 2077's launch.
In an interview with Edge Magazine, reported by GamesRadar, co-CEO Michał Nowakowski reflected on the studio's standing. "I'm not 100% convinced we went through the full redemption arc," he said, describing the 2020 launch of Cyberpunk 2077 as "heartbreaking" for the company.
CEO comments suggest a focus on quality for the upcoming sequel.
Nowakowski acknowledged the launch "lost the faith of some people indefinitely, and that's a fair thing." Despite Cyberpunk 2077's subsequent improvements and sales of over 35 million copies, he emphasized the studio's reputation remains its "biggest asset" and requires further mending.
He expressed hope that future projects will win back disillusioned fans, specifically naming the next Witcher title. "But I do hope we will be able to make it back – if not with The Witcher 4, then with whatever comes next," Nowakowski stated.
This positions The Witcher 4 as a pivotal title in CD Projekt Red's ongoing effort to rebuild its relationship with players following a major setback.
The Lasting Impact of Cyberpunk 2077’s Troubled Launch
The Lasting Impact of Cyberpunk 2077’s Troubled Launch
The goodwill CD Projekt Red earned with 2015's acclaimed The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt was significantly damaged by the "heartbreaking" launch of Cyberpunk 2077 in December 2020, according to co-CEO Michał Nowakowski in an interview with Edge magazine, as reported by GamesRadar. The highly anticipated RPG released with pervasive game-breaking bugs, visual glitches, and frequent crashes, a situation notably severe on the last-generation PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles.
Nowakowski admitted the studio "lost the faith of some people indefinitely, and that's a fair thing." This breach of trust created a need for a redemption arc that the executive stated he is "not 100% convinced" the company has completed. This is despite Cyberpunk 2077 undergoing substantial post-launch improvements and achieving significant commercial success, having sold at least 35 million copies.
High expectations for CD Projekt Red's release.
The launch issues forced a period of intense internal focus on fixes and updates, diverting resources and defining the studio's public narrative for years. The experience has framed CD Projekt Red's approach to all future projects, with Nowakowski expressing hope that the next major release, The Witcher 4, will be pivotal in winning back disillusioned players.
CDPR’s 10-Year Strategy and Future Project Roadmap
CD Projekt Red has unveiled a "rough ten-year rolling plan" to guide its future development, focusing on a measured release schedule for its core franchises rather than annual blockbusters.
According to co-CEO Michał Nowakowski in an interview with Edge, reported by GamesRadar, the studio does not aim to become a company that releases a major game every year. "We want to make really cool games," he stated, emphasizing they have no intention to "flood the games market with CDPR games" or manage a large portfolio of intellectual properties.
Promotional material for the next generation of Witcher games.
The cornerstone of this long-term strategy is Project Polaris, the codename for the next Witcher game. It represents the beginning of a new saga for the franchise and is seen internally as a pivotal title in the studio's efforts to restore player trust following the Cyberpunk 2077 launch.
Beyond the new Witcher saga, CDPR's pipeline includes two other major projects. A sequel to Cyberpunk 2077, internally referred to as Cyberpunk 2, entered its pre-production phase last year. Furthermore, a remake of the original Witcher game is also in development, handled by external studio Fool's Theory in collaboration with CDPR.
This multi-project roadmap signals a sustained commitment to CD Projekt Red's two flagship series, with development paced according to its long-term plan rather than aggressive release windows. For players, this strategy suggests a focus on fewer, high-quality releases over the next decade, starting with the highly anticipated next chapter for The Witcher.
Surprise Expansion and New Content for The Witcher 3
Surprise Expansion and New Content for The Witcher 3
CD Projekt Red has announced a surprise new expansion for its decade-old RPG, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, titled "Songs of the Past," with a release window set for 2027. The unexpected announcement was made by co-CEO Michał Nowakowski in a recent interview with Edge, as reported by GamesRadar. This new content will arrive more than ten years after the game’s original 2015 launch.
The announcement signals CD Projekt Red's continued commitment to supporting its established franchises, even as it develops new titles like The Witcher 4 and a sequel to Cyberpunk 2077. The studio's "rough 10-year rolling plan" includes revisiting its roots, with a remake of the original Witcher game also in development.
Improved character detail.
This move to deliver new content for a legacy title serves as a direct gesture to the fanbase that built its reputation prior to the Cyberpunk 2077 launch. It provides an immediate point of engagement for players as the studio works on its long-term future projects aimed at restoring trust.
