CD Projekt Red plans to release a new Witcher trilogy within six years, potentially starting with The Witcher 4 in 2027, but the timeline is ambitious given past delays and development challenges, especially with transitioning to Unreal Engine 5 and remaking the first game.
CD Projekt Red has revealed that actor Jake Lampert will play a character named Branko in the upcoming Witcher game. Details about Branko's role, whether as a friend or foe, remain unknown. The name suggests a possible connection to the Northern Kingdoms. The game is still in early production, and it will be years before more is known about Branko's role. Meanwhile, Geralt will appear in the game, though it won't focus on him. Other Witcher-related projects, including a new book and anime, are set for release in 2024 and 2025.
CD Projekt is considering adding multiplayer to the sequel of Cyberpunk 2077, codenamed Orion, as it staffs up for various projects. The company is also working on the next Witcher game, codenamed Polaris, and is aiming to have around 400 people working on it by 2024. The original Cyberpunk 2077 has received its last big update, and attention has now turned towards its sequel at CD Projekt Red. The company has also learned from the launch of Cyberpunk 2077 and is implementing better production processes to avoid similar issues in the future.
CD Projekt aims to begin production of "Polaris," the next installment in the "Witcher" series, in 2024 with around 400 people working on the project by mid-year. The new trilogy is expected to expand the universe of the medieval fantasy franchise, but no premiere date has been announced. Following the bug-ridden launch of "Cyberpunk 2077," the company is focused on transforming its studio and is also considering a sequel, "Orion," with multiplayer elements. CD Projekt plans to incorporate AI to improve game production processes and aims to avoid a repeat of the Cyberpunk release issues.
CD Projekt Red is dedicating a significant portion of its resources to the development of the next Witcher game, codenamed "Polaris," as revealed in the studio's latest earnings report. The company also announced that the Cyberpunk 2077 expansion, Phantom Liberty, has sold 4.3 million copies.
Witcher director Marc Jobst praised Henry Cavill for his dedication and hard work in bringing the character of Geralt to life for three seasons of the show, despite the demanding nature of the production. Cavill insisted on performing his own stunts and even close-up shots, resulting in extraordinary results. Jobst credited Cavill's work ethic for motivating the crew to go beyond a serviceable adaptation and create a fantastic series. Rumors of Cavill's departure and replacement by Liam Hemsworth have been dismissed by the cast, with Hemsworth reportedly putting in the work to continue Cavill's portrayal of Geralt in Season 4.
CD Projekt Red's next big Witcher game, codenamed Polaris, is ramping up with regards to resource commitment and is now the company's second biggest ongoing project. However, it is likely years away from launch, possibly in 2026, 2027, or 2028, as the developer takes its time. Most of CDPR's teams are still working on finishing Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, which is set to release this year.
CD Projekt has completed work on a "new framework" for its upcoming Witcher game, Project Sirius, which is being developed by The Molasses Flood. The studio has undergone layoffs as a result of this change. The value of expenses incurred from implementing the "new framework" came to $9.7 million USD. CD Projekt has made partial changes to that accounting in the amount of $5.2 million USD for expenses incurred in 2022. CD Projekt has not revealed any details about the updated direction of Project Sirius.
CD Projekt Red's multiplayer Witcher spin-off game, developed by The Molasses Flood, has been rebooted and some developers have been laid off. The reason for the change in direction and layoffs is unknown. CDPR is also working on a paid expansion for Cyberpunk 2077 and a sequel with multiplayer content, both of which are likely several years away.