The Witcher 4, Cyberpunk 2077 Developer CD Projekt Red Ramps Up Hiring On 'project Hadar'

Polish game developer CD Projekt Red is actively expanding its workforce for an unannounced intellectual property codenamed Project Hadar. According to details shared by Karolina Gnas, the company's vice president of investor relations, during a Wednesday financial earnings call, the development team dedicated to this new venture has already surpassed 30 individuals. The studio intends to continue this recruitment drive, aiming to increase the team's size to approximately 50 developers before the conclusion of this year.

The existence of the hiring push for Project Hadar was initially highlighted in a report by GamesRadar. Gnas clarified the current status of the project during the call, explaining that the team is presently concentrated on exploring various creative directions, testing diverse concepts, and building early prototypes for gameplay mechanics. She emphasized that the endeavor remains firmly in its conceptual stage, meaning a full reveal or release is likely far in the future.

While the specific genre and gameplay style of Project Hadar remain under wraps, industry observers note that CD Projekt Red has established its reputation on massive role-playing games. Given the studio's history with the third-person fantasy world of The Witcher and the first-person sci-fi setting of Cyberpunk 2077, it is widely anticipated that this new intellectual property will also feature deep role-playing elements, though its thematic direction is still a mystery.

In addition to the updates on Project Hadar, the earnings call shed light on the studio's broader development pipeline, which has undergone some strategic shifts. CD Projekt Red confirmed that the planned remake of the original Witcher game has been temporarily put on hold. This decision was made to redirect valuable development resources toward the highly anticipated Witcher 4, which the studio is currently aiming to launch sometime in 2028.

The pause on the remake also allows the studio to focus on its newly announced expansion for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, titled Songs of the Past. Arriving more than a decade after the original game's debut, this unexpected expansion represents a significant return to the landmark title. It joins a packed production schedule that highlights just how active the Polish developer remains across multiple fronts.

Beyond these long-term projects, fans of the franchise have more immediate content to look forward to. CD Projekt Red is preparing to launch a remastered version of The Witcher 3 later this month. The studio has confirmed that players who already own the original game will receive the remastered edition as a free upgrade, and the new version will fully support existing save files, ensuring a seamless transition for returning players.

With Project Hadar, The Witcher 4, the Songs of the Past expansion, a sequel to Cyberpunk 2077, and the eventually-resumed Witcher remake all on the horizon, CD Projekt Red is managing one of the most ambitious portfolios in its history. The gradual ramp-up of the Hadar team suggests the company is committed to establishing a third major franchise alongside its two established blockbusters.