It's said it before on multiple occasions, but it's always nice to hear CD Projekt reiterate its commitment to making single-player games.
As part of the company's latest earnings briefing, co-CEO Michal Nowakowski gave everyone exactly what they wanted to hear, stating that although "the video game market continues to evolve", the developer will continue to create "cutting-edge single-player" experiences.
Nowakowski goes on to suggest that this is simply what CD Projekt knows best, and believes that "games rooted in strong franchises and immersive narratives will continue to enjoy great popularity", despite the constant push for live service and multiplayer models.
"Our experience, along with brands such as The Witcher and Cyberpunk, which it is our pleasure to further develop, help us build a strong position on the market and paint a positive outlook," he added. Basically, the company's happy to stay in its lane, because it's clearly worked out well up until this point.
Of course, it's worth remembering that Cyberpunk 2077 was initially going to have some kind of multiplayer-based component, but the idea was scrapped when the studio had to overhaul the open world RPG after its disastrous launch in 2020.
We do wonder whether that concept will ever resurface, but either way, it's abundantly clear that CD Projekt's focus is single-player, story-driven games for the foreseeable future.
The Polish-based company currently has The Witcher 4 and the next Cyberpunk title in development. Based on what we know, the former is much further along than the latter, but Ciri's adventure is still a while off.
Did you expect to hear anything different from CD Projekt? Tell us all about your hopes and dreams for its next games in the comments section below.
[source boundingintocomics.com, via gamespot.com]
Comments 21
CDPR and GOG FTW!
"And we'll grind as many of our staff to dust as we can along the way"
Despite the rough 2077 launch, CDPR remains my favorite developer. Witcher 3 is the GOAT and 2077 is a close runner-up.
Very happy to hear that they're sticking with what they know best.
@Enuo Boycott their products or get involved in activism for change, a comment here won't change anything.. Otherwise... Yawn..
@wildcat_kickz The Witcher 3 boasted my love for open work sword swingers. Game is magical in every way!
@AhmadSumadi I can't overstate how much I love that game. I think I've put over 500 hours into it over the years... 2 platinums and working on a third. 😁
They had MP planned for Cyberpunk so I am sure that CP2 will have it. But this is a nice thing to say while working on The Witcher.
@Enuo come on. You say it like it's the only business that does this and it's a bad thing. I work in project management and the work load fluctuates. Sometimes like today I have time to game, cook dinner for the family. Others times I'm in hotels working every minute available.
Here's the thing. I love the pressure of delivering projects. The bonding through team work and hard work. I imagine a lot of game developers feel the same. I'd miss not having these deadlines with all hands on deck, it's part of the fun. I'd hate to think someone was campaigning to "save me". Wish people would worry about themselves more.
Game Devs: "Hey! We're going to actually spend time making sure we develop quality experiences instead of trying to churn out half-baked perpetual moneymilking machines!"
Really says something about modern gaming when i find that reassuring; but also really goes to show why i really like CD Projekt Red
This is music to my ears..a developer that actually sticks to their guns and realises that a lot of gamers actually want single player games. Not every game has to have a half arsed multiplayer mode tacked on just to try and get sales from gamers that may not usually purchase that game.
Happy to hear this commitment to single player. Although, doing a GTA-like multiplayer add-on for Cyberpunk would be pretty awesome. I mean, they could just steal a lot of the concepts from GTA and I think they would have a much more interesting and cool world for you to own cars, apartment, do missions, etc. Not saying they could match the success of that behemoth, but I personally would like it more.
@wildcat_kickz 738 hours and 5 platinums for me lol. Did it twice on an old PSN name. Because Sony didn’t allow name changes back then, I created a new name then platinumed it twice more. Then when the PS5 upgrade came I did it a fifth time. Thinking of doing a 6th on another account 😃
Just what I wanted to hear. Cyberpunk eventually evolved into a great game and The Witcher 3... a little piece of Heaven in the form of a computer game.
Some sanity in the madness at last.
Amen to that. Cyberpunk is a real success story.
If their single-player experiences are so "cutting-edge", why aren't they enhancing Cyberpunk 2077 for PS5 Pro, e.g. by adding PSSR and/or more RT effects (maybe as options)?
@AhmadSumadi hot damn! Hail to the king!
Good to hear, just make sure to release the games on hardware that can handle it and they are set. Excited to see what they bring out next.
Considering how every game they make launches in an awfully broken state and takes months to a year to be ready, you could say all their games are live service.
Witcher 4 has a real problem- how do you follow up a classic, what's the outcome? Incredible pressure there. I'm thinking the last games with that much pressure were TLOU2, Starfield, and maybe?? Halo Infinite.
I am so here for the mass revolt against and implosion of live service games across the industry. Is it Schadenfreude? Probably. Story after story of companies losing boatloads of money chasing GTA success make me happy - they sold out, went for the easy money and lost so, so big. As is absolutely deserved.
A business that chases trends without original ideas deserves the axe. Put all the CEOs who went this direction on the metaphorical firing line. Which is kinda what's been happening lately.
Just two years ago we were talking about SquareEnix and Ubisoft putting NFTs in their games, the height of insanity imo. So many changes in the last two years.
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