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[IbizaPocholo]

CDPR to Adopt Witcher/Cyberpunk Dual Franchise Model Moving Forward

There's more The Witcher on the way after all. CD Projekt Red (CDPR) announced as part of its H1 (first half) earnings report that the company is to adopt

twinfinite.net

There’s more The Witcher on the way after all. CD Projekt Red (CDPR) announced as part of its H1 (first half) earnings report that the company is to adopt a Witcher/Cyberpunk dual-franchise model moving forward following continued strong sales of The Witcher 3.

Indeed, the publisher sold more copies of The Witcher 3 in 1st half of 2019 than the same time frame in 2018. And it’s presumably set to continue that performance when the game launches on Switch later this year.

CDPR’s overall revenue increased 28% in H1, which meant that net profit hasn’t slipped despite rising Cyberpunk development costs.

Speaking in a summary report, CFO Piotr Nielubowicz said:

“Our financial results for the first half of the year again was mainly affected by sales of The Witcher 3, which remains strong. This further confirms our belief that investing in top quality games pays off.”

CDPR outlines its intent to adopt a dual-franchise model in a report summary:

“The company believes that maintaining the observed growth dynamics and expansion of its activity profile will depend on further enhancement of its world-class video game development skillset and on maintaining effective communication channels with the global gaming community.

Managing two separate major franchises (The Witcher/Cyberpunk), along with several independent development teams, enables the company to conduct parallel on several projects and smoothens its longterm release schedule.

This migration towards a dual franchise model supported by several independent product lines also permits optimization of manufacturing and financial activities, mitigates important risk factors, and makes it easier for company employees to seek professional fulfillment.”

 

[Nickolaidas]

So, like … Mortal Kombat and Injustice?

 

[Exentryk]

Need more Witcher.

 

[Huevos de Oro]

I want a Philippa Eilhart spin-off.

 

[Murr]

They will have to find some way to keep Geralt as the main protagonist though, if they don't want to tank their sales.

 

[michaelius]

Good news because it should increase their output - as they are last company producing AAA single player rpg games getting one every two years would be perfect.

 

[Fuz]

No shit.


Next Witcher will probably be a create-your-own-witcher. But I want more Geralt ;_;

 

[Kadayi]

Buoyed about more Witcher, but equally buoyed about further Cyberpunk tbh.

 

[ymoc]

Funny a few months ago people were fortelling CD Project's imminent bancruptcy following Gwen's failure to meet expectations and rising (?) cost of Cyberpunk's development.
Seems like Witcher is still a major source of income after all. I mean, every sale it's top 10 on steam and GOG, so it really isn't all doom and gloom.
Plus all the GOG revenue cut must be a nice little bonus on top of everything.

 

[sublimit]

Ok so i will be playing one CDPR game (Witcher) once in every 10 years then.

 

[Huevos de Oro]

No shit.


Next Witcher will probably be a create-your-own-witcher. But I want more Geralt ;_;

Create-your-own-non-binary-Witcher.

 

[Mista]

Don’t mind that. They have done a magnificent work with Witcher and if Cyberpunk turned out the same then I’ll keep on supporting them

 

[ZzackK]

please add Dune FH and I am done.

 

[EviLore]

I'm fine with this.

 

[MadYarpen]

The witcher world can fit few more games. Not sure how could they do another Geralt game though.

 

[KingdomHeartsFan]

I only want more Witcher if we can continue to play as Geralt, such a badass protagonist.

 

[MagnesG]

Please port Thronebreaker to Switch.
Steam and GOG are chock full of games, needs more coverage than that. People don't give much support for card games on PS4/Xbone.
Need rabid fans.

 

[Scopa]

This further confirms our belief that investing in top quality games pays off.

I love you CDPR. I want to have your children.

Marry me.

 

[kraspkibble]

I want a Philippa Eilhart spin-off.

i ain't disagreeing but this is the first time i've seen anyone ever want more of her. usually it's ciri, yennefer or even triss. that's a first for philippa.

Buoyed about more Witcher, but equally buoyed about further Cyberpunk tbh.

we've known for a long time (years) that 2077 is just the first game in the Cyberpunk series.

of course it wasn't a given there would be a sequel but at this point 2077 will sell like crazy even if it sucks (unlikely) so there will definitely be more Cyberpunk games.

Cyberpunk 2077 - 04/2020
Cyberpunk 2134 - ???
Cyberpunk 2213 - ????????

 

[TheShocker]

Ciri as the next main character? Geralt as the mentor like Vesemir? I’d be down.

 

[Cosmogony]

Does this public decision hint at them having reached a definitive gentlemen's agreement with Sapkowski?

 

[VertigoOA]

I don’t need all my rpgs to have avatar creators. I enjoy the hell out of those too...

But...

I loved Witcher. It wasn’t the gameplay. It wasn’t just the world. It was Geralt of Rivia. We didn’t get a proper David Hayter Snake this gen but Geralt was the closest. So legit confirmation we’re getting more is great.

He’s staying I assume. I mean... the Netflix show.

It seems like cdpr became too huge overnight however. It’s beginging to make me skeptical

 

[MightySquirrel]

This same thread was made a few months back.

 

[Cosmogony]

(…)

It seems like cdpr became too huge overnight however. It’s beginging to make me skeptical

What do you mean?
Growing pains? How so?

 

[Kenpachii]

Rather have them focus on one product then just ditching out games for the sake of getting a paycheck.

 

[MeatSafeMurderer]

Good news because it should increase their output - as they are last company producing AAA single player rpg games getting one every two years would be perfect.

lol no. I wouldn't expect a new RPG every two years. Cyberpunk was announced before The Witcher 3, which came out 4 years ago.

 

[SonGoku]

I'd prefer new ip every once in a while

 

[Saber]

I like Cyberpunk, can't wait to play. But gosh, I feel like this game is way too much afraid of making anyone offended. In the last trailer, the narrator wasted almost like 10 seconds on a spoiler warning, which sounds more like a dead warning.

Thats why when I heard about Witcher moving foward, I'm pretty sure the core game will be dead, alongside the characters. The game will not resemble anything from Witcher if they keep the same chicken attitude from Cyberpunk.

 

[oagboghi2]

Funny a few months ago people were fortelling CD Project's imminent bancruptcy following Gwen's failure to meet expectations and rising (?) cost of Cyberpunk's development.
Seems like Witcher is still a major source of income after all. I mean, every sale it's top 10 on steam and GOG, so it really isn't all doom and gloom.
Plus all the GOG revenue cut must be a nice little bonus on top of everything.

Yeah,what happened to that?

Some people need to eat crow

 

[Ovek]

Funny a few months ago people were fortelling CD Project's imminent bancruptcy following Gwen's failure to meet expectations and rising (?) cost of Cyberpunk's development.
Seems like Witcher is still a major source of income after all. I mean, every sale it's top 10 on steam and GOG, so it really isn't all doom and gloom.
Plus all the GOG revenue cut must be a nice little bonus on top of everything.

Well they did lay of half(?) of the staff at GOG earlier in the year, it wouldn’t be far fetched to think that the Cyberpunk development has stretched CDPR very thin financially.

 

[VertigoOA]

What do you mean?
Growing pains? How so?

I would assume that the Witcher 3 team is like 15% of whom is working on Cyberpunk or a Witcher 4. They became too huge of a developer quickly and expanded so much just after one game ... that I’d be concerned they’ve lost their identity.

The media hype machine is doing is job to make it seem like the best game ever tho. Just got wait till I own it myself

 

[ymoc]

Well they did lay of half(?) of the staff at GOG earlier in the year, it wouldn’t be far fetched to think that the Cyberpunk development has stretched CDPR very thin financially.

They let go around a dozen staff, while restructuring the team with as much as 20 new members. And according to some employees that were let go it apparently was a financial decision to prevent them going into red. Who knows, maybe the development of the new Galaxy launcher was coming to an end and they had a surplus of developers. It's a common business practice to close down a job post and have the reason be financial in nature, but that doesn't automatically mean the business is in danger. Or maybe that department was performing under expectations and it really was just a restructuring. Or like some speculated, they really were in financial danger. We're just guessing here. That said, I can't imagine that GOG, with its 30% cut, is performing with a loss.
Besides a dozen employees really isn't a huge number. It's basically micro/small level business size. It's not something that would sink a huge developer/publisher such as CD Project.

 

[alabtrosMyster]

They are trans-franchisee now?

 

[Chromata]

Normally I would prefer a new IP, but I'd actually be interested in more Witcher games with Geralt. I just like him a lot as a protagonist.

 

[Life]

A gender-neutral Witcher, stripped of emotions and fear. Hmm..come to think of it - how did Geralt have steamy scenes with various women...since he has no emotions? How's he supposed to get excited and.....ya'know.

 

[TeamGhobad]

I would rather they moved to Cyberpunk 2 right after this launch.

But if there is a franchise i would want them to have it would be Dune.

 

[base]

Geralt will show up in CyberWitcher.

 

[Danny Dudekisser]

I'm kinda completely over The Witcher at this point. Would prefer they'd double down on Cyberpunk, personally.

 

[The_Mike]

The only interesting game for me from cdpr is Witcher 3. In the minority that has zero interest in Cyberpunk it seems.

I find it hard to make a Witcher sequel without geralt, and to be honest l, Witcher without geralt isn't really Witcher.

 

[Bitmap Frogs]

These are disappointing news.

I understand that it makes financial sense, but I wish we'd had the opportunity for cdprojekt to flex their creative muscles with every new game.

 

[Bolivar687]

They made Witcher for a long time before Cyberpunk, and they just kept getting better. I'm definitely ready for another one asap, Cyberpunk hype aside.

 

[IbizaPocholo]

https://www.artstation.com/artwork/aRJ6dR

 

[Agent_4Seven]

Memories of The Witcher 3 are still fresh in my mind and I'm planning to replay the game in NG+ at some point and when I'll be able to do that in 4K 60 at all times all maxed out with a bunch of mods with better textures etc. installed. I don't need another Witcher game in like 4,5-5 years for sure, thank you. Also, if they'll be making new Witcher game, I sure hope they'll go for the full on Ciri game and Geralt as NPC or occasional companion, not a playable character.