(Image credit: Netflix)
CD Projekt’s joint CEOs, Michał Nowakowski and Adam Badowski, have always aspired to craft the world’s most exceptional RPGs. While this remains central, their vision has expanded following the triumphs of The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077. Fueling their ambitions is the success of Netflix’s Cyberpunk Edgerunners, hinting at dreams beyond gaming.
“We once dreamed of becoming producers of the best RPG games globally,” Nowakowski shared with Polish outlet XYZ. He remarked on the fleeting nature of gaming success, emphasizing that enduring achievement requires “continuous work.” Nowakowski admitted, “Today, our ambition is even higher.” The goal now is to be a major player in pop culture and entertainment, with video games at the heart, complemented by films, series, animations, and books.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, an anime series crafted alongside Japanese studio Trigger and available on Netflix, merely previews what CD Projekt envisions. Despite branching out, the commitment to creating top-notch RPGs is unwavering. Badowski affirmed, “We focus on making games that we like.” Survival games might be trending, but CD Projekt Red remains resolute in its RPG-centric vision, having grown from a small team into an enterprise with over a thousand employees.
The success of Edgerunners illustrates how expanding intellectual property can significantly boost game sales, as seen with Cyberpunk 2077 reaching impressive sales milestones. Nowakowski noted the studio’s gained expertise in building an entertainment ecosystem around its games, suggesting that such growth helps stabilize revenue. “With the return of The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077, we’ve seen our experience pay off.”
The horizon looks exciting with numerous upcoming CD Projekt Red games, further enriching their contribution to pop culture and entertainment, fueled by innovations like Edgerunners. Stay tuned for updates from the passionate gaming communities and more.