CD Projekt focuses on niche AAA RPG open-world titles

The co-founder of The Witcher 3 developer CD Projekt Red, Marcin Iwiński, has emphasized the studio's commitment to its core specialty: creating "AAA RPG, open-world narrative-driven games."

During an interview on the studio's AnsweRed podcast, Iwiński joined joint-CEO Adam Badowski to reflect on CD Projekt Red's journey, acknowledging that while the team has considered expanding into different genres, their strength lies in immersive open-world RPGs.

"One crucial lesson we've learned over time—and I think Adam will fully agree—is that we must remain razor-focused," Iwiński explained. "We can't pursue everything we'd love to try, even when tempted. We experimented, and it didn't work. We have to dedicate ourselves fully to what we excel at."

"That’s why we transitioned from single-project development to handling multiple projects," Badowski added. "But every project aligns with our strategy—developing AAA RPGs that are open-world and narrative-driven. This is our niche, and our focus remains there."

"It sounds straightforward," Iwiński admitted, "but as a growing studio, distractions are everywhere. You see others succeeding in different genres and think, 'Maybe we should try that!' But we’ve learned to take a step back and reaffirm our direction. Spreading ourselves too thin only risks disappointing players."

"Innovation is great—gameplay keeps evolving—but we need to adapt new ideas carefully within our framework," Badowski noted. "Initial excitement might spark interest, but sustaining long-term success requires discipline."

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt has now surpassed an astounding 60 million copies sold, including base game and GOTY edition sales—and this figure doesn't even account for its standalone expansions.

Every CD Projekt Red Game In Development

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Recently, CD Projekt announced one final patch for The Witcher 3, launching later in 2025. This update introduces cross-platform mod support, bringing mods to consoles for the first time. "Creating, sharing, and enjoying mods will now be easier than ever," the studio stated as part of the game’s 10th-anniversary celebrations.

As for The Witcher 4? Full production is underway, but fans shouldn’t expect it before 2027 at the earliest. Other projects in development include Cyberpunk 2, Project Sirius (a multiplayer Witcher experience), Project Hadar (an original IP), and a Witcher 1 remake.