CD Projekt says it's "better to cut costs early" following Project Sirius rethink
Plus, Cyberpunk expansion news due in June.
Image credit: CD Projekt Red
News
by
Matt Wales
News Reporter Published on March 30, 2023
35 comments Follow Cyberpunk 2077
CD Projekt has shared little more information on its decision to 're-evaluate' the development of its The Witcher spin-off Project Sirus, saying it's sometimes "better to cut costs early".
Project Sirius was first outlined last October as part of CD Projekt's ambitious studio roadmap, which included a Cyberpunk 2077 sequel, a new IP, the next Witcher trilogy, a remake of the first Witcher game, and Project Sirius, a part-solo, part-multiplayer experience being developed by The Flame and the Flood studio Molasses Flood.
Last week, however, CD Projekt announced its intention to write-off funds allotted to Project Sirius, saying it had re-evaluated the "scope and commercial potential of the original concept" and was now "formulating a new framework" better "aligned with the [company's] strategy".
Newscast: Unreal Engine supercharges Fortnite, the metaverse and AI Newscast: Are Unreal Engine's procedural generation and Ubisoft's Ghostwriter the future of game development?
Watch on YouTube
And now, as part of its latest financial earnings call (thanks VGC), CD Projekt's chief financial officer Piotr Nielubowicz has shared a little more on the thinking behind the new direction.
"In order to stay innovative, we must experiment and be brave when trying new paths," Nielubowicz explained, "[but also] stay in control and keep the right course, especially with a project that is new to us in terms of design, developed by a new studio in our family".
"We need to keep evaluating the situation as we move along," he continued. "It's better to cut costs early, and even restart if needed, than to carry on."
In a Q&A held after the presentation, CEO Adam Kiciński added it was a "tough decision to make, but we also believe it was the right one".
CD Projekt's next release will be its Cyberpunk 2077 expansion, Phantom Liberty. In a message posted to Twitter earlier today, the studio said it would be sharing more on the project in June.
