CD Projekt Red

Studio overview

CD Projekt Red is a game development studio based in Warsaw, Poland. It is a subsidiary of CD Projekt and is best known for The Witcher video game series and Cyberpunk 2077. The studio was founded in 2002. Across all Witcher games, the franchise has sold over 85 million copies, with The Witcher 3 alone exceeding 60 million.

The Witcher IV team

As of late 2025, more than 447 developers are assigned to The Witcher IV, exceeding original targets. CD Projekt's total headcount is nearly 800 employees, with the remainder working on Cyberpunk 2 (codenamed Project Orion). About 100 Witcher 3 veterans remain at the studio.

The game has also received assistance from Fool's Theory, the studio developing The Witcher remake, which temporarily assigned a small team to help with shared assets and technology.

Key personnel

Lessons from Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077 launched in December 2020 with severe technical issues, particularly on last-generation consoles. CDPR has been open about applying lessons learned to The Witcher IV.

Game director Sebastian Kalemba stated: "It's a continuation of the evolution, improvement, and transformation." Engineering director Colin Walder explained the studio's new approach to console development: "Take consoles, for example; we need to make sure they're functioning from the get-go. For our next project, Polaris, we're already running our demos and internal reviews on the console from the very beginning. This is a step we only took later in Cyberpunk's development."

On production methodology, Kalemba described "mindful definition of production stages and scoping," ensuring "whatever we create right now is super coherent across the board." When deadlines approach, the team now adjusts schedules rather than reverting to crunch.

AI policy

CDPR has committed to not using generative AI for content creation. Joint CEO Michal Nowakowski stated: "Gen AI, to be honest, is quite tricky when it comes to legal IP ownership and so on, and many other aspects." On whether AI has reduced staffing: "I didn't recall a single time when it would be directly attributable to AI."

The studio does use AI for internal productivity tools but has drawn a clear line: "It's not a situation where AI could sit down and make games. It doesn't mean it's not gonna be useful, but AI is not going to be making The Witcher 5 or 6."

Development timeline

Trilogy plan

The Witcher IV is the first in a planned trilogy. CD Projekt has outlined a six-year plan for all three games, with each sequel taking roughly three years. CFO Piotr Nielubowicz confirmed the game "will not be released before 2027."

Previous Witcher games