CD Projekt Red Refines Development to Avoid Another Cyberpunk 2077 Launch

CD Projekt Red is taking steps to ensure future games steer clear of the rocky launch that plagued Cyberpunk 2077. The studio is undergoing significant changes in its development process, aiming for higher standards across all projects.

Among these projects is Project Polaris, widely believed to be the next major entry in The Witcher series, though its official title remains unconfirmed. The game recently transitioned into full-scale production and will leverage Unreal Engine 5 instead of CDPR’s proprietary REDengine. This shift to Epic Games' engine is expected to enhance efficiency and enable the studio to handle multiple games simultaneously while avoiding issues encountered with Cyberpunk 2077.

In a recent interview with Eurogamer, Charles Tremblay, CDPR’s VP of technology, expressed confidence in these changes. He stated that the next Witcher game would be bigger and better than The Witcher 3, a title widely regarded as one of the greatest games of all time. Tremblay emphasized that the studio is committed to ensuring future releases surpass their predecessors and steer clear of the mistakes made with Cyberpunk 2077.

CDPR has also expanded its pre-production phase and streamlined its team to reduce inefficiencies. Importantly, the studio is ensuring console compatibility earlier in the development pipeline to avoid last-minute challenges. While these changes may extend development timelines, the goal is to deliver polished and complete games.

Although Cyberpunk 2077 eventually redeemed its reputation with the successful Phantom Liberty DLC and a Netflix anime spinoff, its initial launch was marred by game-breaking bugs and poor performance on older consoles. Despite selling over 30 million copies, the experience served as a wake-up call for CDPR.

Tremblay underscored the studio’s resolve, saying, “It’s our responsibility to make sure everything works. We’ve learned from the past, and that makes me optimistic for the future.” Fans of CD Projekt Red’s games can look forward to more refined and ambitious titles, crafted with lessons learned from both triumphs and setbacks.