Michał Platkow-Gilewski, VP of PR and Communications at CD Projekt, has publicly recognised the turbulent release of Cyberpunk 2077. He attributed the admittedly troubled launch to extreme pressures, elevated expectations, and grueling crunch times, leading to a game that was not ready for release.
However, in light of the backlash his team experienced following Cyberpunk’s debut, Platkow-Gilewski confirms that the team is now in a good place, effectively managing the negative aftermath and looking forward to the future. “I’m good. Actually… I think I’m great, to be honest.”
CD Projekt announces three new Witcher games and an original IP
Along with the company’s restoration comes the word of brand new games, including three new Witcher games, a Cyberpunk sequel, and an original IP. Licensed spin-offs that include comics, books, and Netflix shows are also on the cards.
“First of all, all these projects are at different stages,” said Platkow-Gilewski speaking to Gameindustry.biz. “It’s not that we are doing all that in the same moment at the same stage, because that would be a lot of work. We are thinking about the strategy for the years to come.
“We care about our IPs, we want to develop them, we want to create games within them. But also, we want to make sure we are focused all the time.”</b>
The to-do list is large and holds a lot of weight. However, the focus is on the health and well-being of employees and trying to squash the reputation of Crunch. Platkow-Gilewski states that these are all being focused on, but everything is in discussion.
The to-do list is extensive and carries significant implications. However, the primary focus remains on the health and well-being of the employees and an attempt to dismantle the notorious reputation associated with ‘crunch’ time. Platkow-Gilewski confirms that these issues are a priority, but emphasizes that all matters are still under active discussion.
“We have a lot of discussions, like what is most important right now? Where do we want to go? What do we want to achieve? The discussions we’re having are really healthy. It’s easy to spread the butter too thin, but we are constantly checking and talking, and we think we know what to do.”
First and foremost on the company’s frontal lobe is their new expansion for Cyberpunk, Phantom Liberty, featuring Idris Elba. Given the generally positive feedback from the press, CD Projekt certainly has its plate full with this promotion.
“For Phantom Liberty, which is more of a spy thriller-themed story – it has a different vibe to the base game – we needed someone who is a match for that. Idris is the next James Bond to me. He has this Bond vibe. When we talk about the character, Solomon Reed, we knew he’d be perfect for it.” said Platkow-Gilewski.
Phantom Liberty is scheduled for release on September 26, 2023. With the simultaneous rollout of Patch 1.7, the company anticipates a smoother launch, hopefully, marked by fewer glitches and bugs.
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