CD Projekt Red's Hadar: The Studio's Largest Project Yet, Still Far from Pre-Production
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CD Projekt Red has revealed that its upcoming game, codenamed Hadar, is its largest undertaking to date, having taken several years to develop and still not entering pre-production. Currently, the team is working on prototypes and gameplay elements, with 33 developers assigned to the project.
CD Projekt Red's Ambitious New Project
CD Projekt Red has characterized its upcoming game, known by the codename Hadar, as its "biggest project to date." According to Michał Nowakowski, the joint-CEO of CDPR, the game has taken several years to reach its current stage, and the studio is still not at the pre-production phase.
Currently, the development team is focused on creating small prototypes and testing gameplay elements. This information comes from an interview with Nowakowski, who noted that they have established a coherent vision for the game's world and key components. Unlike CD Projekt's other major titles, Hadar will not be based on any existing intellectual property.
As of July 31, 33 team members were working on Hadar, making it a smaller project compared to The Witcher 4, which has 519 developers assigned, and Cyberpunk 2077, with 184. The Witcher 4 has been described as the studio's most ambitious project, with a targeted release date in 2028. Nowakowski emphasized the need to innovate in narrative and gameplay to ensure that each new title pushes the boundaries of the RPG genre.
In the same interview, Nowakowski addressed concerns about the future of physical game releases, particularly in light of Sony's decision to phase out PlayStation disc production by 2028, which could affect the availability of a physical copy of The Witcher 4. As he stated, CD Projekt Red has limited control over the production choices made by console manufacturers, which complicates the situation regarding physical media.