CD Projekt Red Hopes The Witcher 4 Can Win Back Players After Cyberpunk 2077 Launch

CD Projekt Red joint CEO Michał Nowakowski has acknowledged that the studio may never completely repair the damage caused by Cyberpunk 2077's troubled launch, although he hopes The Witcher 4 will help win back some of the players who lost faith in the developer.

Speaking during an interview with Edge (via GamesRadar), Nowakowski described the launch period as "heartbreaking" for the studio and its developers. Although Cyberpunk 2077 has undergone a substantial turnaround since December 2020, he does not believe CDPR has completed its redemption.

"I'm not 100 per cent convinced we went through the full redemption arc," he said. He added that the company had likely "lost the faith of some people indefinitely" and described that reaction as fair.

However, the executive remains hopeful that CDPR future releases can gradually repair the remaining damage.

"But I do hope we will be able to make it back - if not with The Witcher 4, then with whatever comes next," he said.

Cyberpunk 2077 Recovered, but the Launch Has Not Been Forgotten

Cyberpunk 2077 arrived in December 2020 with widespread technical problems, particularly on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions. Players encountered crashes, visual glitches, poor performance and numerous bugs, eventually leading Sony to temporarily remove the game from the PlayStation Store.

CD Projekt Red spent the following years releasing patches and major improvements, culminating in Update 2.0 and the Phantom Liberty expansion. The game has since surpassed 35 million copies sold and is now generally regarded far more positively than it was at launch.

That commercial and critical recovery does not necessarily mean every player has regained confidence in CD Projekt Red, however. Nowakowski’s comments suggest the company understands that restoring a game through post-launch updates is different from delivering a reliable product on day one.

He also said the experience left CD Projekt Red with more seasoned leaders capable of handling new challenges. While the company has a rough ten-year development plan, it does not intend to flood the market with releases or force itself to launch a major game every year.

The Witcher 4 Will Carry Enormous Expectations

The Witcher 4 is positioned as CD Projekt Red’s next major single-player RPG and the opening chapter of a new Witcher trilogy. Ciri will replace Geralt as the central protagonist, with the game being developed using a customised version of Unreal Engine 5.

There is currently no release date, and CD Projekt Red previously confirmed that the game would not arrive before the end of 2026. The studio has already shown a cinematic reveal trailer and a technical demonstration, but substantial details about its story and gameplay remain under wraps.

As the first new mainline Witcher game since The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, it would already face significant expectations. Following Cyberpunk 2077’s launch, however, The Witcher 4 will also be judged on its technical condition and performance from the moment it becomes available.

CD Projekt Red has several other projects underway, including Cyberpunk 2, a remake of the original Witcher and the new IP codenamed Hadar. Geralt will also return in The Witcher 3: Songs of the Past, a new expansion scheduled for 2027.

The success of Cyberpunk 2077’s recovery has shown that CD Projekt Red can improve a troubled game. The Witcher 4 presents a different challenge: proving that the lessons learned can prevent another troubled launch from happening in the first place.

FAQ

Why did Cyberpunk 2077 damage CD Projekt Red’s reputation?

The game launched with severe bugs, crashes and performance problems, particularly on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Sony temporarily removed it from the PlayStation Store, while CD Projekt Red offered refunds to affected customers.

When will The Witcher 4 be released?

CD Projekt Red has not announced a release date. The company has confirmed that The Witcher 4 was not planned to launch before the end of 2026.

Who is the protagonist of The Witcher 4?

Ciri is the main protagonist of The Witcher 4, taking over the central role previously held by Geralt in the original trilogy.

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