CDPR Explains Why This Witcher Project Is Being Rebooted

CD Projekt Red has seen a lot of ups and downs, including successes like "The Witcher 3" and blunders like the notoriously glitchy launch of "Cyperpunk 2077." However, recent developments concerning an upcoming "Witcher" game codenamed "Project Sirius" suggest the franchise may be going through some uncertain times. As of March 20, CDPR announced it was cutting its losses with the $10 million it put towards "Project Sirius." Since then, CDPR has shed more light on this unexpected decision.

During a March 30, 2023 earnings conference, CDPR shared more details about why "Project Sirius" is going back to the drawing board. For starters, the company made it clear that "Cyberpunk 2077" DLC "Phantom Liberty" would be its biggest event of the year, thereby taking much of the company's focus. It was also shared that the design of the game is a departure from what the studio has done before. In the words of CD Projekt Red chief financial officer Piotr Nielubowicz, "To stay competitive, we need to keep looking for new ways to extend our franchises. At the same time, we need to be ready to reevaluate our original concepts, even if development work is already underway."

There wasn't a lot else shared about the reboot of "Project Sirius," including any specific changes to the original concept of the game. The development and release timeline are also a completely mystery as of the earnings call. As Nielubowicz went on to explain to investors on the call, the challenging decision to reimagine "Project Sirius" is a way to free up more funds and time while CDPR figures out the new direction for it. Summing up everything CDPR hoped to share to investors regarding "Project Sirius," Nielubowicz shared, "We don't want to carry on with projects we are not aligned with."

"Project Sirius" was first announced last year, along with many other CDPR titles in the works. Clearly, the team is staying busy and navigating an evolving landscape for multiple games, so it makes sense that some like "Project Sirius" may call for a fresh approach. When it was revealed to the world, "Project Sirius" was described as such: "It will differ from our past productions, offering multiplayer gameplay on top of a single-player experience including a campaign with quests and a story." Only time will tell if this format remains intact when the final product reaches fans.