Tag: CD Projekt Red

The Witcher 4 faces the greatest unimaginable pressure: to be the successor to The Witcher 3

CD Projekt Red faces the monumental challenge of developing The Witcher 4, a project that comes with the heavy burden of expectations generated by its predecessor, The Witcher 3. Considered by many as one of the best video games in history, this last title has sold over 60 million copies and has raised the standards of storytelling and design in the RPG genre. Thus, the Polish studio must find a way to surpass this masterpiece without losing the essence that captivated a vast community of players. A game with all the expectations of being […]

CD Projekt Red faces the monumental challenge of developing The Witcher 4, a project that comes with the heavy burden of expectations generated by its predecessor, The Witcher 3. Considered by many as one of the best video games in history, this last title has sold over 60 million copies and has raised the standards of storytelling and design in the RPG genre. Thus, the Polish studio must find a way to surpass this masterpiece without losing the essence that captivated a vast community of players.

A game with all the expectations of being the successor to a great game

Philipp Weber, narrative director of the new title, expressed in a recent interview that the team is not obsessed with sales figures or reviews. Instead, their focus is on keeping alive the design philosophy that made The Witcher 3 great. “We want to do justice to the legacy of The Witcher 3 by maintaining that way of thinking: how to create a game, how to care for every detail, how to tell stories,” Weber explained.

However, the challenge is considerable, as fans expect a sequel that, while fresh, respects the universe established by the third installment. Weber admitted the pressure the team feels to meet these expectations, reflecting on how to surpass something that many consider insurmountable. “Many people will love The Witcher 4, and hopefully, they will be the same ones who loved The Witcher 3, because the philosophy remains the same,” the developer commented.

Despite the fact that no concrete details have been revealed about gameplay, story, or release date, CD Projekt Red has a unique opportunity to innovate in the world of The Witcher. The challenge now lies in finding a balance between respect for the legacy and the implementation of new ideas that revitalize the series, ensuring that both veterans and new players find in this title an experience worthy of its predecessor.

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After two disastrous launches, CD Projekt wants to ensure that The Witcher 4 plays well on consoles

CD Projekt Red has revealed key details about the development of The Witcher 4, highlighting a renewed focus on game creation. In a recent technical demonstration conducted with Unreal Engine 5, it was shown that the game is being designed with a “console first” mentality, debuting on PlayStation 5 instead of PC. This decision responds to lessons learned from past missteps, including the problematic launch of Cyberpunk 2077, which led the company to prioritize the console experience. CD Projekt wants to ensure that consoles do not have issues with the game […]

CD Projekt Red has revealed key details about the development of The Witcher 4, highlighting a renewed approach to game creation. In a recent technical demonstration conducted with Unreal Engine 5, it was shown that the game is being designed with a “console-first” mentality, making its debut on PlayStation 5 instead of PC. This decision responds to lessons learned from past missteps, including the problematic launch of Cyberpunk 2077, which led the company to prioritize the console experience.

CD Projekt wants to ensure that consoles do not have issues with the game

Charles Tremblay, Vice President of Technology at CD Projekt Red, indicated that this new approach aims to avoid the usual problem of scaling graphics from PC to less powerful platforms. “We had so many problems in the past that this time we really want a more console-focused development,” he emphasized. However, the studio’s ambition to deliver 60 fps performance on PS5 will be a significant technical challenge, and considerable effort is required to achieve it.

Jakub Knapik, global art director of CD Projekt Red, also explained that it is “easier to scale up than down” in terms of graphics, suggesting that, despite an initial focus on consoles, there is still room for improvements in the PC version. “Once we establish certain visual and technical foundations, we will be able to scale up,” Knapik mentioned, anticipating the incorporation of advanced features such as ray tracing.

As players await more details about Ciri and the narrative of this new chapter, CD Projekt Red reaffirms its commitment to providing the best possible experience for all players, emphasizing that it is still early to provide specific information about the PC version. The company continues to aim to push technological boundaries, both on consoles and PC, as it moves towards the release of The Witcher 4.

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The Witcher 4 is presented to showcase the capabilities of the new generation of graphics engines

CD Projekt Red has taken a significant step in the development of its upcoming title, The Witcher 4, by switching from its RED Engine to Unreal Engine. This decision, deemed wise by the company, is based on Unreal’s capability as a versatile tool for multiple projects, according to Julian Girbig, senior technical animator at CD Projekt Red. During the State of Unreal showcase, Girbig expressed excitement about the possibilities offered by Unreal, stating that “the process was really enjoyable” in adapting to the new engine. A very technical showcase where we did not see the game itself The team […]

CD Projekt Red has taken a significant step in the development of its upcoming title, The Witcher 4, by switching from its RED Engine to Unreal Engine. This decision, deemed wise by the company, is based on Unreal’s capability as a versatile tool for multiple projects, according to Julian Girbig, senior technical animator at CD Projekt Red. During the State of Unreal showcase, Girbig expressed excitement about the possibilities offered by Unreal, stating that “the process of adapting to the new engine was truly enjoyable.”

A very technical showcase where we didn’t see the game itself

The development team evaluated several engines before opting for Unreal, and the decision was clear upon recognizing the potential of this technology for the future, especially to tackle multiple projects simultaneously. Despite the change, Girbig emphasizes that “nothing has been lost” in the transition, and that the experience gained with the RED Engine in the development of AAA games will be crucial to leverage the advantages of the new engine.

The Witcher 4 promises an impressive visual experience, as seen in the recent technical demonstration, which highlights the region of Kovir. This demo, while captivating, was developed with in-engine capabilities and should not be interpreted as a definitive indication of the final game, as warned by the game director, Sebastian Kalemba. “The demo reflects our ambitions for the game and our capabilities within the engine,” Kalemba stated.

With an environment that captures the essence of a raw medieval world, the advancements in The Witcher 4 include stunning details, such as the anatomy of horses and other distinctive elements of realism in the game. However, it is important to keep expectations at a reasonable level, as the demo is just a first look at the future title of the saga.

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If you are eager to see The Witcher 4, you can see it today

CD Projekt Red has confirmed its participation in the State of Unreal event, scheduled for June 3, where it is expected to share news about the highly anticipated video game The Witcher 4. This announcement comes in a context of great expectation, as the company embarks on a new chapter in the iconic saga, so any information that arises could be crucial for the franchise’s followers. It will appear at an event within the Summer Game Fest The State of Unreal event, which is part of Unreal Fest, will start at 3:30 PM, Spanish mainland time, and […]

CD Projekt Red has confirmed its participation in the State of Unreal event, scheduled for June 3, where it is expected to share news about the highly anticipated video game The Witcher 4. This announcement comes in a context of great expectation, as the company embarks on a new chapter in the iconic saga, so any information that arises could be crucial for the franchise’s followers.

It will appear at an event during the Summer Game Fest

The State of Unreal event, which is part of Unreal Fest, will start at 3:30 PM, Spanish mainland time, and will be streamed live on YouTube and Twitch. In this context, CD Projekt Red has indicated that it will reveal “innovative technologies and features that will drive The Witcher 4 and beyond.” The presence at this event also marks a significant shift in the company’s development philosophy, as, after a multi-year agreement with Epic Games, the Polish company will use Unreal development tools instead of its own RedEngine, which had been used in previous installments.

One of the main innovations that will be presented in The Witcher 4 is the change in the narrative, based on Ciri’s perspective, in contrast to the original trilogy that focused on Geralt. This approach promises to offer a fresh and novel experience for players. However, it is expected that the release will not be available in the near future, as a six-year release window has been anticipated for the upcoming sequels, The Witcher 5 and 6.

The Witcher 4 faces the challenge of surpassing the acclaimed The Witcher 3, which has sold over 60 million copies and generated revenues exceeding 600 million dollars, positioning itself as one of the 10 best-selling video games in history. Fans will surely be on the lookout for updates revealed at the event on June 3 and what this means for the future of the saga.

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If you expect to play The Witcher 4 before 2027, we have terrible news for you

The universe of The Witcher is preparing for a new era, with Ciri as the future protagonist of the anticipated installment, The Witcher 4. From CD Projekt RED, the gaming community has expressed a growing interest in obtaining more details, images, and videos about this ambitious production. However, the release date still generates uncertainty. Still without a date, but with a range where it will not be released During the recent financial results presentation of CD Projekt, the company confirmed that The Witcher 4 will not be ready before December 2026 and will not be part of the objectives […]

The universe of The Witcher is preparing for a new era, with Ciri as the future protagonist of the highly anticipated installment, The Witcher 4. From CD Projekt RED, the gaming community has expressed a growing interest in obtaining more details, images, and videos about this ambitious production. However, the release date still generates uncertainty.

Still without a date, but with a range where it will not come out

During the recent financial results presentation of CD Projekt, the company confirmed that The Witcher 4 will not be ready before December 2026 and will not be part of the economic objectives for that year. Although the developers have not wanted to speculate on an exact release date, they have emphasized that the game is in an active production phase, with more than 450 professionals working on it.

“We are not going to announce the exact release date of the game yet. All we can share now to give more visibility to investors is that the release is not expected to be within the initial incentive period that ends on December 31, 2026″, stated a company spokesperson.

In addition to The Witcher 4, other CD Projekt projects such as Orion, the sequel to Cyberpunk 2077, and Project Sirius, a spin-off of The Witcher, are in the concept phase, with a gradual increase in the number of staff involved. Orion is expected to have 120 dedicated employees this year.

CD Projekt also reported that Cyberpunk 2077 has surpassed 30 million copies sold, with its expansion Phantom Liberty being purchased by more than 8 million players. The company’s revenue has increased by 62% thanks to sales on PC, while PlayStation and Xbox contributed 26% and 12%, respectively. Undoubtedly, fans of The Witcher will be on the lookout for future announcements while they await the arrival of this new installment.

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This early access game offers everything that Cyberpunk 2077 promised and didn't deliver

In the world of video games, few titles have generated as much expectation as Cyberpunk 2077 did. Despite a disastrous launch and technical problems that have marked its history, the game from CD Projekt RED has established itself as a benchmark in the science fiction genre, thanks to its vibrant Night City environment. However, many genre lovers have felt the lack of more dynamic experiences, especially the possibility of driving flying cars in its futuristic world. Punk Runner, everything Cyberpunk 2077 wanted to be This desire could find resonance in the new […]

In the world of video games, few titles have generated as much anticipation as Cyberpunk 2077. Despite a disastrous launch and technical issues that have marked its history, the game from CD Projekt RED has established itself as a benchmark in the science fiction genre, thanks to its vibrant environment of Night City. However, many genre enthusiasts have felt the lack of more dynamic experiences, especially the possibility of driving flying cars in its futuristic world.

Punk Runner, everything that Cyberpunk 2077 wanted to be

This desire could resonate in the new independent project titled Punk Runner, developed by Max Parata. Currently in its Early Access version, this game offers players the opportunity to experience driving a flying car through a neofuturistic city. Based on Unreal Engine 4, Punk Runner allows players to take on the role of Hero, a driver eager to be the best on the streets. The aesthetic is inspired by classic titles like Need for Speed Underground 2, capturing the vibrant car culture of Japan.

Punk Runner stands out for its free design; players can explore at their leisure, without barriers that limit their movement. So far, it features two levels that reflect the typical cyberpunk setting, with bright lights and aerial traffic. The control of the flying car is highly sensitive, allowing for challenging maneuvers that require agility and quick reflexes.

Although the project is small and still in development, it has generated considerable interest due to its originality and the promise of future customizations. Parata has emphasized the importance of vehicle customization, which leaves the door open to see how the game will evolve. With its visual appeal and exciting gameplay, Punk Runner could be the answer that many fans have been waiting for after the limitations of Cyberpunk 2077.

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The Witcher 4 will not star Geralt, but that doesn’t mean he won’t appear

The Witcher 4 has been announced. Geralt will be part of the game, but we don’t know how much

We all know that the next project from CD Projekt RED will be The Witcher 4. In fact, they currently have over 400 people working on it, and the hype is extremely high even though we haven’t seen a single image yet, beyond the logo. We know that in this new installment, which could be bigger than Baldur’s Gate 3, the protagonist, for the first time, will not be Geralt of Rivia. Or maybe…?

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The sorcerer strikes again

During a YouTube video in which he tried to remember his most iconic lines, Geralt’s voice actor, Doug Cockle, hinted that perhaps—just perhaps—we would hear from our protagonist again: “The Witcher 4 has been announced. I can’t say anything… Geralt will be part of the game. We just don’t know how much because the game won’t focus on him.”

After all, The Witcher 3 ended with several possible endings, annoying the experience of several fans. To continue with the character, they should choose an official ending. However, if you want to know more, you’ll have to sit back and wait because apparently they don’t even have a story prepared yet.

“I’m excited. I want to know! I haven’t seen any script yet, although I couldn’t tell you if I have. So I could be lying, but I’m not… Or maybe I am?” comments Cockle, who certainly knows something—more than us, at least.

Until now, all we knew was that Cockle theorized that the protagonist of the sequel should be Ciri, but without giving specifics. Now it seems that he finally knows Geralt’s fate, which, as soon as the game is released (CDPR has no interest in doing much marketing ahead of time, so we don’t know the date) is going to break the Internet once again. We’ll be waiting on the back of Roach.

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Poland unionizes: the creators of Cyberpunk 2077 establish a union for all Polish developers

Tired of mass layoffs and questionable working conditions, CD Projekt Red has created a union to fight for their rights

Although Cyberpunk 2077 may have been fixed in the eyes of fans, it doesn’t mean it doesn’t continue to have numerous problems, primarily within the studio’s work culture. CD Projekt is a highly significant studio in Poland, but to reach where it is, especially during 2023, it has made decisions that haven’t been particularly favorable for its workers. Not to mention that crunch has been the norm throughout the development of Cyberpunk 2077. Therefore, a portion of its workers has had enough.

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That’s why a group of CD Projekt workers have formed a union called PGWU, which stands for Polish Gamedev Workers Union. The name reflects that they have members from other game companies in Poland, not exclusively from CD Projekt, with the goal of improving conditions for all workers in the Polish gaming industry. Hence, they have decided not to focus solely on their own company but on the entire country.

One of the main reasons for this decision is that, in 2023 alone, CD Projekt has gone through three different phases of layoffs. In May, about twenty employees from The Molasses Flood, approximately half of the studio’s staff in Vancouver, were laid off, along with over thirty employees from CD Projekt Red associated with Gwent, the card game based on The Witcher, following the decision to discontinue further support for the game. Additionally, a third round of layoffs occurred in July when a 9% reduction in the workforce of CD Projekt Red was announced, resulting in the dismissal of around a hundred employees.

Although there are many more issues within the studio, PGWU highlighted in an interview with CD-ACTION that they believe unionizing is necessary to achieve better working conditions. They also hope that their example will encourage others in creative industries to dispel the myth that unionism is only for factories and heavy industries. Considering they have already joined OZZ IP, a syndicalist organization, it is expected that they will have the negotiating power to prevent these massive layoffs from happening as easily in the future and inspire others to do the same.

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Cyberpunk 2077 had to be a success at all costs, even if it meant costing CD Projekt hundreds of millions

Cyberpunk 2077 is now playable thanks to patch 2.0 and Phantom Liberty, but how much did it cost CD Projekt Red? More than one hundred million dollars.

Money doesn’t solve everything, but it does solve an impressive amount of things. Game studios know this well. There are problems that can’t be solved, no matter how much money is thrown at them, but others just need that: more funds, a larger budget. With that, along with all the creative muscle and personnel that come with it, it’s possible to push forward things that previously seemed impossible. Or that had been an absolute disaster.

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Cyberpunk 2077 was an absolute disaster. However, Phantom Liberty feels like its own game. Probably because it is. After all, CD Projekt Red has spent 60 million dollars on its development and another 21 million on marketing for this DLC. That’s approximately half of what it cost to develop Cyberpunk 2077 in the first place, considering the game had a development cost of 174 million dollars. Although not as much if we consider the 142 million dollars they spent on marketing.

This paints a pretty crazy picture of the numbers at CD Projekt Red. Moreover, we have to take into account that the DLC isn’t the only change they’ve made in the game. Since its launch in 2020, they have been working on various updates to fix bugs and add content to get as close as possible to a stable version. This includes their ambitious Patch 2.0, released on September 26 alongside Phantom Liberty for free, which has polished many aspects of the game.

All of this information comes from CD Projekt’s investor presentation, available on YouTube, where they broke down all these numbers. This also gives us other figures, such as the Patch 2.0 costing a staggering 40 million dollars, bringing the total to 121 million dollars to fix Cyberpunk 2077. An absolutely insane figure, even for a game that was already incredibly expensive to develop. But it has turned out this way because, somehow, at CD Projekt, they must believe it’s worth it.

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