CD Projekt Red Quietly Expands Mystery Project Hadar With 50-Dev Dream Team
Key takeaways
- CD Projekt Red growing Hadar team from 30 to 50 developers by end of 2024
- Hadar remains in concept phase with no official details on gameplay or genre
- Studio postponing Witcher 1 remake to prioritize Witcher 4 (2028) and Cyberpunk sequel
CD Projekt Red is quietly ramping up development on an unannounced project codenamed Hadar, with the team nearly doubling in size. The Polish studio revealed during its latest earnings call that Hadar currently has over 30 staff members, with plans to grow to 50 by year-end. Vice president of investor relations Karolina Gnas described the project as still in concept phase, with the team focused on "testing different approaches, ideas, and prototyping gameplay elements." The studio has disclosed almost nothing about what Hadar actually is, making it one of gaming's current mysteries. Meanwhile, CD Projekt Red confirmed it's shelving The Witcher 1 remake to prioritize The Witcher 4—targeting 2028—alongside the newly announced Witcher 3 expansion, Songs of the Past, and a Cyberpunk sequel already in motion.
The bigger picture
Hadar's secrecy reflects CDPR's cautious stance after Cyberpunk 2077's troubled launch. Given the studio's portfolio—third-person fantasy and first-person sci-fi shooters—Hadar could signal an attempt at a new IP or genre pivot, or it could be internal experimentation that never ships. Competitors like BioWare and Obsidian are watching closely; any CDPR stumble remains a cautionary tale for ambitious, ambitious development. The 2028 Witcher 4 window suggests the studio is pacing itself deliberately.
We're flagging this because mystery projects at major studios tell us something about industry priorities and risk tolerance. CDPR spending resources on an unproven concept while juggling Witcher 4, a Cyberpunk sequel, and an expansion speaks to both ambition and potential stretched thin. We'll be tracking what Hadar becomes.
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