After the troubled launch (and subsequent patching) of their controversial 2020 game Cyberpunk 2077, it seems that Polish games developer CD Projekt Red is beginning to change its course. Last week, Konrad Tomaszkiewicz, director for The Witcher 3 and producer of Cyberpunk 2077, announced a new game studio staffed by former CD Project Red employees called Rebel Wolves.
Along with Tomaszkiewicz, director Daniel Sadowski (The Witcher, Growing Up), writer Jakub Szamałek (The Witcher 3, Cyberpunk 2077, Thronebreaker), and animation director Tamara Zawada (The Witcher 3, Shadow Warrior 2) are also joining the team.
Following on the success of the Witcher games, Tomaszkiewicz and his new team plan to release another series of big-budget RPGs (role-playing-games). Rebel Wolves’s stated goal is to, “creating vibrant virtual worlds, filled to the brim with powerful emotions and unique experiences.”
As AAA RPGs have shifted towards a more cinematic, limited approach, Tomaszkiewicz aims to bring a sense of freedom and choice back to AAA RPGs.
“We want to recreate the feeling of a pen-and-paper RPG session, where your options seem limitless, where the world reacts to your choices, where every decision matters,” said Tomaszkiewicz in an interview with GamesIndustry.biz.
With the issues plaguing other recent and upcoming RPGs such as Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines 2 and Cyberpunk 2077, the idea of a game of this scope and budget taking a more unconventional approach than mainstream titles sounds ambitious.
On top of taking a different approach to game design, Rebel Wolves also promises to take a different approach to development and management. Back in 2020, CD Projekt Red came under scrutiny for the way its employees were treated during the development of Cyberpunk 2077.
Employees spoke out against CEO Adam Badowski and working conditions at the studio. On employer review site Glassdoor.com, many former employees complain of nepotism and crunch culture prevalent in the company.
In response, Rebel Wolves’s website promises a more friendly working environment.
The studio’s website (https://rebel-wolves.com/) states: “We decided to create our own studio and run it on our own terms. Chief among them: the team comes first, always. Happy people make great games – games players want and deserve.”
After the PR disaster resulting from the launch of Cyberpunk 2077 and employee backlash, the team at Rebel Wolves will have a lot of work in building up consumer goodwill. On top of creating a good game, the team will have to work with the community to make sure the same mistakes aren’t made again.
While the studio hasn’t said anything about the game besides the initial concept of an “AAA, dark fantasy RPG”, there are some clues in promotional concept art. The bats surrounding the man in the image seem to hint at a vampire concept.
Judging from Tomaszkiewicz’s work with the Witcher games, it’s also highly likely that the game will take inspiration from Polish folklore and mythology. While the studio states that it’s first game will be “the first title of a planned saga”, hopefully the focus will be on making their debut game a success.
With an experienced team and ambitious vision, it’s exciting to see what direction Rebel Wolves studio will go. Management, budget, and dedication will be key in whether this project becomes the next Witcher 3 or the next Cyberpunk 2077.