While the whole world has its eyes on *The Witcher 4* and the next *Cyberpunk*, a mysterious project is gaining momentum behind the scenes.
Right after fantasy and sci-fi, CD Projekt Red is now facing a big question mark. That’s because, in addition toThe Witcher 4(Project Polaris) and the sequel toCyberpunk 2077(Project Orion), the Polish studio has been working on a completely new IP for quite some time.
Under the codenameProject Hadarthe studio is developing its first original IP that isn’t based on a novel or an existing pen-and-paper role-playing game. While those in charge are still keeping the actual plot under wraps, development is now noticeably shifting into high gear.
Team to Nearly Double by Year-End
As part of the recentinvestor conferenceKarolina Gnaś, Vice President of Investor Relations at CD Projekt Red, provided an update on the project’s current status. According to her, Hadar is technically still in the concept phase, and practical work is just getting started.
Currently, just over 30 people are working on the title. However, this team is expected to grow significantly by the end of the year. CD Projekt plans to expand the team to up to 50 developers. By comparison, just under 500 employees are currently working on The Witcher 4.
“Right now, the team is primarily focused on testing various approaches and ideas and, as you know, implementing initial gameplay elements as prototypes,” Gnaś explained to investors.
What do we actually know about Hadar?
There are no concrete gameplay or story details yet. The project was officially unveiled at the end of 2022, but very little information has surfaced since then.
At least a few conclusions can be drawn fromjob postingsfrom the past few months: Among other things, the company was looking for developers for an “emotional open-world experience” as well as experts in complex NPC behaviors and AI ecosystems in Unreal Engine 5. CD Projekt is thus staying true to its strengths and planning another major role-playing adventure.
However, a lot of water will flow down the Vistula before you get to play it yourself. Before Hadar, both The Witcher 4 and the next Cyberpunk are on the agenda. So you probably shouldn’t expect this secret project to be released before the end of the decade.
What are your hopes for CD Projekt’s new brand? What kind of setting would you like to see for a completely new CD Projekt open-world game? Feel free to let us know in the comments!
