It sounds like Witcher game ‘Project Sirius’ has gone back to the drawing board
CD Projekt has re-evaluated the scope and commercial potential of the game
It sounds like CD Projekt has decided to go back to the drawing board with ‘Project Sirius’, a new take on the Witcher series first announced last October.
In a regulatory announcement on Monday, the company told investors it had established an impairment allowance related to expenses incurred developing the game.
It said the value of the expenses incurred totalled 33.4 million PLN ($7.6m) in 2022 and 9.5 million PLN ($2.2m) in the first two months of 2023, and that these sums “will accordingly burden the [company’s] financial results”.
It added: “The aforementioned decision is based on results of evaluation of the scope and commercial potential of the original concept of Project Sirius, and ongoing work on formulating a new framework for this project.”
VGC has contacted CD Projekt for clarification on the status of the game.
Update - CD Projekt statement
A spokesperson for CD Projekt told VGC:
“Our current focus is ensuring that Project Sirius is aligned with the strategy of the CD PROJEKT Group. At this point in time, we are neither providing insight into the evaluation of the project nor the potential future frameworks thereof.”
The company announced last October that it was working on a Cyberpunk 2077 sequel, a new trilogy of Witcher games, Witcher spin-offs, and an original IP.
These projects included “an innovative take on The Witcher universe” in development at The Molasses Flood, the American studio behind Flame in the Flood, which CD Projekt acquired in 2021.
Codenamed Project Sirius, CD Projekt described the title as “an unforgettable story for existing Witcher fans and new audiences”.
“The game will be set in The Witcher universe, but it differs from our past releases in that it targets a much broader audience,” said CD Projekt CEO Adam Kiciński. “Sirius will provide both single-player and multiplayer gameplay.”