CD Projekt Red’s journey through the past decade has been nothing short of extraordinary, and now the studio’s CEO Michal Nowakowski has revealed crucial insights about the team behind the highly anticipated Witcher 4. Speaking on social media platform X, Nowakowski confirmed that approximately 100 designers from The Witcher 3’s development team continue to contribute their expertise to the company’s current projects.
The revelation comes at a significant moment in CD Projekt Red’s history, as the studio has evolved from its modest beginnings to become a global powerhouse employing over 1,100 people across studios in Warsaw, Boston, and Vancouver. This growth follows a turbulent period that saw the company weather both tremendous success with The Witcher 3 and significant challenges with Cyberpunk 2077’s initial launch, before ultimately redeeming itself with the acclaimed Phantom Liberty expansion.
Nowakowski’s disclosure provides valuable context about the studio’s retention of veteran talent. According to the CEO, The Witcher 3’s original development team comprised more than 200 people, meaning nearly half of that core group remains with the company a decade later. This retention rate speaks volumes about the studio’s ability to maintain institutional knowledge and creative continuity despite its rapid expansion.
Perhaps most reassuring for fans of the series is Nowakowski’s confirmation that key creative positions remain in trusted hands. The main Story Director, who has guided the narrative direction since the original Witcher game, continues to shape the franchise’s storytelling. Similarly, the primary vision holder from the first installment remains at the helm, ensuring consistency in the series’ creative direction. Nowakowski himself represents this stability, having been with the company for two decades.
The studio’s commitment to maintaining its creative core while expanding its capabilities suggests a balanced approach to growth and innovation. This strategy becomes particularly relevant as CD Projekt Red embarks on its ambitious plans for The Witcher 4, recently unveiled at The Game Awards as a new chapter focusing on Ciri’s journey to becoming a Witcher.
The game promises to chart new territory while maintaining connections to the beloved franchise, described by the studio as “a new opening, a new saga, a new beginning.” Early details hint at expanded player freedom in character building, drawing inspiration from the systems developed for Cyberpunk 2077, while also confirming the return of the popular Gwent card game.
This blend of innovation and tradition mirrors CD Projekt Red’s own evolution as a studio. The company has grown from a relatively small team focused on a single franchise to a multi-project developer capable of simultaneously handling multiple AAA productions. The retention of experienced developers from The Witcher 3 era suggests that this growth has been managed without sacrificing the institutional knowledge and creative vision that made their previous games successful.
While The Witcher 4’s release remains distant, the revelations about the team’s composition offer encouraging signs about the project’s direction. The combination of veteran leadership and expanded resources positions CD Projekt Red to potentially deliver another landmark entry in the series, one that benefits from both accumulated experience and fresh perspectives brought by newer team members.
As the gaming industry continues to evolve, CD Projekt Red’s ability to maintain creative continuity while embracing growth and change could serve as a model for other studios facing similar challenges. The presence of experienced developers who helped shape the franchise’s identity, combined with the studio’s expanded capabilities, suggests that The Witcher 4 is in capable hands as it moves toward creating the next chapter in this beloved gaming saga.
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