CD Projekt Red has provided an update on the status of its third franchise, the Hadar project. Co-CEO Michał Nowakowski confirmed that work is progressing dynamically, with the IP's foundations already established. The team has defined the distinctive features of this universe and its key pillars, which will serve as the foundation for the video game and future products. Currently, they are in a phase of designing specific elements and creating multiple prototypes.
Pre-Production and Prototyping Phase in Unreal Engine 🎮
The update highlights the development methodology at a major AAA studio during pre-production. Establishing the IP's pillars – world, story, tone – is a critical step before any large-scale production, as it acts as a creative compass. Subsequently, the team focuses on creating prototypes within Unreal Engine, an essential practice for validating game mechanics and core gameplay in an agile manner with controlled resources. This iterative approach allows discarding or refining ideas before committing a full team. In parallel, CDPR manages its resources, allocating most new hires to The Witcher 4, which demonstrates the staggered prioritization of projects within a complex pipeline.
Managing Expectations and the Long Development Road ⏳
This announcement, though promising, is a realistic reminder of the extended timelines in AAA development. Hadar, announced in 2022, still has a small team and is in the prototyping phase, suggesting its release is still far away. The confirmation that The Witcher 4 won't arrive before 2027 helps calibrate community expectations. CDPR's transparency about these early stages is valuable, as it shows the importance of a solid foundation before mass production, a meticulous process that defines the final product's quality.
What development strategies and innovative narratives could CD Projekt Red implement in the Hadar Project to differentiate it from The Witcher and Cyberpunk 2077, and what lessons from their previous launches are crucial for its success?
(P.S.: a game developer is someone who spends 1000 hours making a game that people complete in 2)