As per a recent report, CD Projekt Red's multiplayer game based on The Witcher might already be undergoing some notable changes. The multiplayer title, known as Project Sirius, was among the series of Witcher games CDPR announced in October 2022. While not many details have been divulged regarding these projects since then, one update from the company suggests that the company is still figuring out how to incorporate the multiplayer aspects into The Witcher.
Since the debut of its first game, The Witcher has gained massive popularity over the years, mostly fueled by the appeal of The Witcher 3 and the Netflix series. Capitalizing on this growing interest, CDPR announced that it's working on three Witcher projects including the fourth mainline installment, the Witcher 1 remake, and the multiplayer entry. This means CDPR is currently working on six projects in total. The company followed this up by stating that The Witcher 4 is part of a trilogy, pointing out that two more sequels will make their way at some point. As fans eagerly wait for the company's take on a live-service title in The Witcher universe, CDPR's recent report may warrant some caution on that expectation.
In a report to its investors, CDPR mentions it's taking an impairment charge for The Molasses Flood's Project Sirius and that the company is working on "formulating a new framework" for the Witcher multiplayer game. The company further states that the project has already amounted to 33.4 million PLN (7.61 million USD) during 2022 and a further 9.5 million PLN (2.16 million USD) in the first couple of months of 2023. While CDPR hasn't offered specifics on what this entails, the report indicates that Project Sirius may scrap its current build and look for a new multiplayer approach over financial concerns. Of course, it's worth noting that this game's multiplayer component comes in addition to a single-player campaign. So it's likely that the rework will include both elements, though the bulk of the effort may be skewed toward the multiplayer.
This change in direction comes mere months after CDPR hinted at a possible multiplayer co-op and PvE functionality in Project Sirius via a job posting for a Senior Multiplayer Designer. Either way, it will be a while until CDPR officially updates fans on what to expect from the multiplayer experience. It's no secret that the company has been exploring the live-service space with its IPs over the years. Previously, its much-hyped Cyberpunk 2077 was originally meant to have a multiplayer mode until the studio scrapped the idea. Now, as CDPR looks to bring a live-service game to its portfolio via The Witcher, it will be interesting to see how the company will navigate the space.
But the multiplayer title isn't the only ambitious project in the works for the Witcher universe. Fan expectations have set in for the next big entry, particularly as Witcher 4 will be utilizing Unreal Engine 5 over its own REDengine. In any case, the next few years mark an interesting period for both fans and CDPR. How far these ambitious projects will pan out, only time will tell.
The Witcher multiplayer game is currently in development.
Source: CD Projekt