The Witcher
Documents about The Witcher
Assassin’s Creed Creator Patrice Désilets: “I Have Two or Three Games Left”
This industry update, recorded during Gamescom 2026, focuses on the evolving strategies of independent developers and major studios as they navigate shifting market conditions.
- Patrice Désilets, creator of Assassin’s Creed, has launched his studio Panache’s first self-published title, 1666: Amsterdam, into Early Access with plans to expand the IP into multiple future titles.
- CD Projekt joint-CEO Michał Nowakowski confirmed that The Witcher 4 is scheduled for a 2028 release and will include a physical box with collectible items, despite potential industry-wide shifts away from physical discs.
- Raccoon Logic has pivoted its development strategy toward faster release cycles and Early Access models, citing the difficulty of monetizing games effectively through subscription services like Xbox Game Pass.
Opening Night Live 2026: A Disappointing Night for Fans
The 2026 Opening Night Live (ONL) showcase at Gamescom in Cologne is characterized as a disappointing experience for attendees, failing to justify the significant time investment required for the event.
- Opening Night Live 2026 was widely perceived as a disappointment due to a lack of significant new game reveals and a heavily padded two-and-a-half-hour runtime.
- The showcase's headline announcements relied heavily on established IP, specifically a Gears of War prequel, a Final Fantasy VII: Revelation reboot, and a remaster of The Witcher 3.
- New game reveals included the open-world adventure Ananta from NetEase (January 2027 release), the co-op title Age Twisters, and the action game 1001: Threads of Mizan funded by MBC.
Weekly Gaming Reports Recap: June 1 – June 5, 2026
The recap delivers a snapshot of global mobile and PC gaming performance for the week of June 1–5, 2026.
- Star Citizen has raised over $1 billion from 6.56 million people since 2010, despite no full release date.
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt sold 5 million copies in the last year, reaching over 65 million total, and its franchise revenue grew 36% year-over-year in Q1 2026 to $12.3 million.
- Subnautica 2 sold 4.1 million copies in five days after its Early Access launch, generating over $100 million and becoming the fastest-selling PC release of 2026.
Games and Numbers: May 20 – June 2, 2026
The bi-weekly snapshot covers major milestones for PC, console, and mobile titles released between May 20 and June 2, 2026.
- Forza Horizon 6 generated over $325 million in revenue from 5 million copies sold in its opening days, bolstered by 1.7 million premium early-access purchases.
- Subnautica 2 became the fastest PC launch of 2026, reaching 4.1 million sales and $100 million in revenue within five days, with a total reach of 6.5 million including Game Pass users.
- Star Citizen has officially surpassed $1 billion in total crowdfunding, supported by 6.56 million backers since development began in 2010.
News Round-up: Colorado DLC Veto, Fable Delay, and Switch 2 Japan Surge
The roundup presents a snapshot of recent regulatory, corporate, and market developments across the global gaming industry.
- Microsoft has delayed the release of its flagship RPG 'Fable' to February 2027 to avoid a saturated 2026 release calendar.
- Nintendo’s Switch 2 sales in Japan reached over 200,000 units per week—a fourfold increase over the previous monthly average—ahead of a ¥10,000 price increase.
- Integrated Media Company, the owner of GameSpot and Fandom, has agreed to acquire Balatro publisher Playstack for $151 million.
Universal Truth
The current economic climate in the video game industry is forcing a shift in consumer behavior and development strategy, characterized by rising hardware costs and a pivot toward long-term support for established single-player titles.
- Valve has significantly increased the price of the Steam Deck OLED: the 1TB model is up 46% to $949, and the 512GB version is up 43% to $789.
- CD Projekt RED announced a new expansion for The Witcher III: Wild Hunt, titled "Songs Of The Past," due next year, 11 years after the original game's release.
- The author suggests that the rising cost of hardware, exemplified by the Steam Deck price hike, indicates consumers may be "stuck with what they already have" for some time.
CD Projekt Q1 2026 Earnings Results
CD PROJEKT’s first-quarter results for 2026 demonstrate sustained financial growth and a strategic focus on expanding its core intellectual properties.
- CD Projekt reported Q1 2026 revenue of 191 million PLN, a 6% year-over-year increase, with consolidated net earnings of 106 million PLN.
- The Cyberpunk Trading Card Game, developed with WeirdCo, raised 28 million USD on Kickstarter, becoming the most-funded game campaign in the platform's history.
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt has reached 65 million cumulative units sold, with a third expansion titled 'Songs of the Past' currently in development with Fool's Theory for a 2027 release.
CD PROJEKT Group Q1 2026 Earnings Presentation
The CD PROJEKT Group’s first-quarter 2026 earnings presentation outlines a period of strategic growth, marked by the announcement of a major expansion for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, titled Songs of the Past.
- CD PROJEKT reported Q1 2026 revenue of 191 million PLN, a 6% year-on-year increase, with a net profit of 106 million PLN representing a 56% net margin.
- The company is scaling its development pipeline, with 513 developers assigned to The Witcher 4 and 190 developers working on the newly announced The Witcher 3 expansion, Songs of the Past, slated for 2027.
- The group maintains a strong liquidity position with over 1.4 billion PLN in cash, deposits, and bonds, prioritizing reinvestment in core IP over dividend distributions.
Condensed Interim Consolidated Financial Statements of the CD PROJEKT Group for Q1 2026
The CD PROJEKT Group’s financial performance for the first quarter of 2026 reflects a strategic transition toward long-term development, characterized by robust revenue generation and significant capital reinvestment.
- CD PROJEKT Group reported Q1 2026 net sales of 191.1 million PLN and a net profit of 106.2 million PLN, driven by the continued performance of the Cyberpunk and The Witcher franchises.
- The company has set a consolidated net profit target of 5 billion PLN for the 2026–2029 period, supported by an expanded development pipeline.
- Cash and cash equivalents decreased by 84.1 million PLN during Q1 2026 due to aggressive capital expenditure on major upcoming titles, specifically The Witcher 4 and Cyberpunk 2.
CD PROJEKT Financial Results 2025
CD PROJEKT experienced a strong financial performance in 2025, marking its second-most profitable year on record.
- CD PROJEKT achieved its second-highest net profit in history in 2025, reaching 594.7 million PLN ($161 million), a 34% increase over 2024.
- Annual revenue grew by 9% to 866.9 million PLN ($234.8 million), with Cyberpunk 2077 and its Phantom Liberty expansion accounting for 671.9 million PLN ($182 million) of that total.
- The Witcher franchise revenue declined by 19% year-over-year, contributing 154.9 million PLN ($42 million) to the company's 2025 earnings.
CD PROJEKT Group: FY 2025 Earnings Presentation
The CD PROJEKT Group fiscal year 2025 earnings presentation outlines the company’s financial performance, franchise development, and operational scaling.
- CD PROJEKT Group reported a 2025 net profit of 594.7 million PLN, a 34% year-over-year increase, with a net profitability margin of 60.1%.
- Total sales revenue grew by 9% to 866.9 million PLN, with the Cyberpunk IP serving as the primary driver at 671.9 million PLN, up 12% from the previous year.
- Capitalized development expenditures rose by 65%, fueling a workforce expansion from 707 developers in early 2025 to 933 by February 2026.
CD PROJEKT Group Earnings Chat: 20 March 2026
The CD PROJEKT Group earnings chat held on March 20, 2026, served as a platform for management to address investor inquiries following the release of the company’s 2025 financial results.
- CD PROJEKT holds 1.3 billion PLN in cash and deposits with a 60% profit margin, while needing 527 million PLN in net earnings over the next four quarters to meet incentive program targets.
- The development pipeline includes eight capitalized projects: The Witcher 4, Cyberpunk 2, Sirius, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2, three unannounced games, and one unannounced non-gaming project.
- The 'Hadar' project is being developed as the company's third major intellectual property, with internal team size projected to reach 40–50 personnel by the end of 2026.