Earlier today, CD Projekt Red unveiled the slides from its autumn investor call. While we were expecting to learn a little more about the future of Cyberpunk 2077, and perhaps even get a release date for The Witcher 3's next-gen port, we got far, far more than that. As well as details about both of those projects, the studio also lifted the lid on a collection of titles big enough to keep fans busy for a decade or more. From multiple Witcher games to a brand-new IP and some high-profile studio maneuvers, here's everything CDPR just announced.
The Witcher 4 trilogy
Arguably top of the list is CD Projekt Red's confirmation that The Witcher 4 (known internally as Project Polaris) will be the first game in a trilogy. We already knew that it would be part of a "multi-game saga," but Polaris has now officially been described as the beginning "of a new Witcher trilogy."
That fourth game - teased earlier this year with a unique Witcher medallion thought to represent a lynx - is said to be in pre-production, but all three game are currently "aimed to be delivered within a six-year period following the Polaris release." There's no word on a Witcher 4 release date just yet, but this does mean we should see The Witcher 5 arrive three years after its launch, with The Witcher 6 following three years after that.
Project Sirius
Project Sirius is a new project being developed by The Molasses Flood (of The Flame in the Flood fame) and supported by CDPR. It's being described as "an innovative take on The Witcher universe" that will tell an "unforgettable story" for existing and new Witcher fans. It's still in pre-production, which means it's going to be quite a ways off. However, what we do know is that it will offer multiplayer gameplay on top of a single-player experience, which is something new for the series as a whole (bar Gwent of course).
Project Canis Majoris
Canis Majoris is the most enigmatic game we learned about today. Described as a "story-driven, single player open-world RPG set within The Witcher universe," we know very little else bar one key detail. Much like Sirius, it's being developed externally, not by CD Projekt Red. Instead, Canis Majoris - Latin for 'Greater Dog' - is being worked on by a group of former Witcher devs.
Witcher 3 next-gen
The Witcher 3 on PS5 and Xbox Series X is due to launch by the end of this year. Rumor had it that it would stealth drop today, but that hasn't quite happened. Instead, CDPR says that it is "still planned" for this year, although doesn't give the duo of next-gen ports a date.
Cyberpunk Phantom Liberty
We already knew that the big Cyberpunk 2077 expansion is called Phantom Liberty, which was revealed earlier this year with the above trailer. Sadly, today didn't provide much of an update on that front, but we now know that it's in the final stages of production, which may well mean it's closer to dropping than we initially thought. All CDPR is saying for now though is a loose 2023.
Cyberpunk Orion
Project Orion will be a full-fat Cyberpunk 2077 sequel. CDPR says it will "prove the full power and potential of the Cyberpunk universe," seemingly positioning the game as a way to both expand on the original title and to paint over the issues it faced after its launch. The studio hasn't commented on the status of the sequel, but we can reasonably assume it is in pre-production at most. Roughly half of the Cyberpunk team is currently working on Phantom Liberty, after all, and CDPR acknowledged that Orion "will require a lot of work, dedication, and further growth of the team," including CDPR's plans to open a North America-based studio.
Project Hadar
Right at the bottom of today's list was Project Hadar, a third IP "distinct from The Witcher and Cyberpunk 2077." It's still only in the "conceptual phase," implying pre–pre-production, with only a "small strike team" currently working on it. CDPR says it's been working on Hadar - the studio's first original IP - since late 2021, but there's currently absolutely nothing else to go on about this mysterious new project,
CDPR CEO leaving
CD Projekt co-founder and CEO Marcin Iwiński is parting ways with his former role to begin a "new personal chapter" as chairman of the supervisory board by the end of 2022. The announcement came by way of an official statement posted on Twitter with a message from Iwiński who founded the company almost 30 years ago with Michal Kicinski. "In my new non-executive role I will remain active and engaged dedicating my focus on supporting the entire management board," Iwiński stated. "I will also remain connected to the core of what makes us special, which is making the best storytelling games in the world and doing right by gamers."
After revolutionizing the open-world RPG twice in 10 years, CDPR is dreaming even bigger with The Witcher 4: "We definitely want to raise the bar with every game that we create"
"New regions" are coming in The Witcher 4, though the map size will be "more or less the same" as the last RPG in the series
