CD Projekt to Stay in AAA RPG Niche

Marcin Iwiński, co-founder of The Witcher 3 developer CD Projekt Red, has stated that the studio has realized the importance of sticking to its core strength: creating "AAA RPG, open-world, narrative-driven games."

During an appearance on the studio's AnsweRed podcast, Iwiński discussed the company's journey with joint-CEO Adam Badowski, acknowledging that while the team has felt tempted to explore other genres, their expertise lies firmly in open-world RPGs.

"A crucial lesson we've learned over time, and I believe Adam fully agrees, is that we must remain laser-focused," explained Iwiński. "We can't pursue all the exciting ideas that tempt us—we've tried, and it didn't succeed. We need to concentrate on what we excel at and dedicate ourselves completely to it."

"That’s precisely why we transitioned from a single-project studio to managing multiple projects," Badowski added. "However, everything aligns with our core strategy. Our niche is developing AAA, open-world, narrative-driven RPGs. That is our focus."

"It sounds straightforward," Iwiński conceded. "But as a company grows, it's challenging to resist the lure of what others are doing successfully. We have to remind ourselves to take a step back and concentrate on our own path. Spreading ourselves too thin would compromise our ability to deliver."

"New ideas and evolving gameplay mechanics are inspiring," Badowski noted. "However, we must thoughtfully integrate them into our own vision. Initial excitement is valuable, but sustainable execution requires long-term discipline."

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt has now reached an astounding 60 million copies sold, including both the base game and the Game of the Year edition—a figure that excludes separately sold expansions.

Every CD Projekt Red Game Currently in Development

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Recently, it was announced that The Witcher 3 will receive another patch in late 2025, introducing cross-platform mod support. This update will make mods available on consoles for the first time. CD Projekt revealed the patch as part of the game's 10th-anniversary celebration, promising easier creation, sharing, and access to mods on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.

As for The Witcher 4, full production is underway, though a release is not expected before 2027. CD Projekt is also developing Cyberpunk 2, Project Sirius (a Witcher multiplayer title), Project Hadar (an original IP), and a remake of the first Witcher game.