After some conflicting reports regarding its status, CD Projekt Red has now reclarified the status of its upcoming multiplayer Witcher project. Late last year, CDPR announced several spin-off games for the Witcher franchise, including one tentatively titled “Project Sirius.” Not much is known about Project Sirius so far, but initial reports have stated that it will include multiplayer elements on top of the usual single-player experience. It will also be developed by The Molasses Flood, a Boston-based subsidiary of CDPR behind such titles as The Flame in the Flood and Drake Hollow.
However, CD Projekt Red has since given an update for Project Sirius that has put the future of the title into question. In an investor’s report last month, CDPR announced that it is “formulating a new framework” for Sirius, and it was suggested that development would be refocused toward the reported multiplayer elements as part of an “impairment change.” This has led many to believe that Projekt Sirius could be scrapped altogether, especially after the divisive reception of recent multiplayer-focused titles like Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.
CD Projekt Red President and Joint CEO Adam Kicinski recently clarified Project Sirius’ status during yet another earnings Q&A earlier today (via IGN), stating that while the multiplayer Witcher game is being taken in a different direction, it has not been canceled outright. He added that while the recent impairment charge was a “tough decision to make,” it was the right choice for the project. “Our intention was to cut costs early and give ourselves time for reassessment. We don't want to carry on with projects that we are not aligned with.” Still, CDPR is committed to Project Sirius as a way to extend the Witcher franchise to new audiences.
Project Sirius is far from the only new game CDPR has in the works, as a host of other titles set in the worlds of The Witcher and Cyberpunk 2077 were announced at the same presentation that revealed Sirius. Project Polaris will be the first installment of a brand-new Witcher trilogy. There will also be a full remake of the original Witcher game, which is being developed using Unreal Engine 5 and will likely update the mechanics of the old game to bring it more in line with The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
It is certainly an exciting time for fans of The Witcher, and players can rest easy knowing that the multiplayer-focused Project Sirius is proceeding despite its reported change in direction. Only time will tell if this new direction will spell success for the currently untitled Witcher spin-off, as many details are still being kept under wraps as of this writing.
The Witcher multiplayer game is currently in development.
Source: IGN