CD Projekt has outlined how it aims to avoid repeating the mistakes it made with Cyberpunk 2077 for the launch of The Witcher 4.
While Cyberpunk 2077 has sold an incredible 30 million copies, its December 2020 launch was an unmitigated disaster, with CD Projekt accused of misleading consumers with its pre-release marketing materials. The game came out in such a terrible state, particularly on consoles, that Sony pulled it from the PlayStation Store.
CD Projekt spent the subsequent four years working to improve Cyberpunk 2077 and rebuild trust with its fans, two goals most consider the developer has now met. But with The Witcher 4 now announced, CD Projekt has rekindled memories of Cyberpunk 2077’s pre-release hype and eventual disappointment.
Speaking exclusively to IGN, executive producer Małgorzata Mitręga and game director Sebastian Kalemba explained the steps CD Projekt has taken to ensure it avoids repeating the mistakes it made with Cyberpunk 2077. Chief among them: “let it cook.”
“Okay, so first and foremost, let it cook,” declared Kalemba. "Secondly, the way we produce right now also changed in a very good way, meaning that we are very mindfully defining the stages of the production. We are very mindfully trying to scope it, making sure that the foundation is there.
“To be very honest, I already see that it helps us to make sure that whatever we create right now is super coherent across the board. And this way makes us feel that we control this super complex environment more than we used to control. And that also makes everyone feel more secure when it comes to developing generally on a daily basis.”
Mitręga said CD Projekt is being more transparent inside and outside the studio, improving communication across the board so everyone knows where the project stands.
“We also push a lot of effort for the transparency of the vision, to make sure that it cascades with the whole team so everybody knows that we are transparent with the board and across the project, within the Red studio not only within the project itself,” Mitręga said. “So I think this is also very cool.
“And this doesn't mean it didn't happen before, but the effort is bigger. So make sure that the game is always working. And we iterate a lot, we fail fast, work fast. I think it's also a very healthy way to look at it.
“And for sure we've got a lesson on how to also communicate with the outside world and when.”
CD Projekt is a developer with a reputation for crunch, the industry term used to describe tough working conditions that often involve extreme overtime for long periods. Staff suffered crunch with the development of The Witcher 3 and again with Cyberpunk 2077, with mandatory crunch in the run up to the sci-fi game’s launch. This came after CD Projekt had promised its employees they wouldn’t be forced to crunch on Cyberpunk 2077. For the recently released expansion Phantom Liberty, however, improvements were made, and staff told IGN that the balance between work and life had realigned.
Mitręga and Kalemba said CD Projekt’s new development approach had helped to mitigate overtime. “This is of course a very complex topic as always, but I am glad you're asking,” Mitręga told IGN.
“The way to produce it in a healthy manner so that people still can find fun from what they do and that's what is inspiring, that's what makes the quality so high, it's really a high priority for us to run this project.
“So we are planning a different way. We communicate with the teams, we work with the teams in a different way. Teams are planned also different than we were, so it's already helping. So yeah, for sure this is what we aim.
“However, this is really complex. So many dependencies and puzzles together and people working together. But for sure we need to also embrace, but in a very consciously and healthy manner, how to deal if there will be any moments that will require any overtime.”
Kalemba discussed the impact of the pandemic on The Witcher 4’s development, which made working on the game an even more complex endeavor.
“It used to be complex. It’s even more complex now,” he said. “Currently we’re in the post-pandemic world. The pandemic changed the development 180 degrees. We are creating such huge products, we have on board over 400 people right now. To manage such a complex environment in such a complex industry, we had to adapt simply, quickly, and efficiently.
“So the way we work right now is of course different, but also we are looking at the whole development process, not only from the development point of view but also on the communication, the leadership, the clarity. We actually have to be on top of our game to be able to deliver the best game possible. So it's complex, but I'm pretty proud of where we are right now when it comes to the overall processes.”
We’ve got plenty more exclusive content on The Witcher 4, including a trailer breakdown and an interview with CD Projekt where it explains the decision to go with Ciri as main character.
And be sure to check out IGN's round-up of everything announced at The Game Awards 2024 for more on what's coming to the world of gaming in the years to come.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
