CD Projekt

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Polish video game developer and publisher behind The Witcher and Cyberpunk 2077.

Last updated October 29, 2026

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Overview

CD Projekt is a Polish video game company headquartered in Warsaw. Founded in May 1994 by former video-game retailers Marcin Iwiński and Michał Kiciński, it initially imported and distributed foreign computer games in Poland. The company built its early reputation through Polish localization, adding translated text, professionally recorded voice acting and culturally adapted packaging at a time when many imported games were sold with little or no local-language support. Its localization of Baldur's Gate, produced with Interplay Entertainment, became an important early commercial success. After a planned PC adaptation of Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance was cancelled because of Interplay's financial difficulties, CD Projekt retained access to development material and redirected its ambitions toward original game production. In 2002 it established the development division CD Projekt Red, which acquired the rights to adapt Andrzej Sapkowski's Witcher novels into a video game. The first The Witcher was released in 2007 after a long and difficult development process. Its success transformed the company from a regional distributor into an internationally recognized role-playing-game developer. CD Projekt Red followed with The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings in 2011 and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt in 2015. The third game expanded the series into a large open world and received extensive critical acclaim, including numerous Game of the Year awards. Its commercial performance enabled the company to enlarge its development organization, establish additional studios and pursue a second major intellectual property. The Witcher 3 also generated two substantial paid expansions, Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine, alongside free downloadable content. The company's second flagship property is Cyberpunk 2077, an open-world role-playing game based on the Cyberpunk tabletop setting created by Mike Pondsmith. The project was publicly announced in 2012 and became one of the most anticipated games in the industry. It launched in December 2020 after several delays. The PC edition was commercially strong, but the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions were criticized for severe bugs, performance problems and a gap between launch quality and pre-release expectations. The controversy led to refunds, the temporary removal of the game from the PlayStation Store and legal and regulatory scrutiny. Subsequent patches and the major Phantom Liberty expansion formed part of a broader effort to repair the product and the company's reputation. CD Projekt has also operated GOG.com, a digital distribution service launched in 2008 with a focus on older PC games and DRM-free access. GOG later expanded into newer independent and major releases. In 2025, the platform was sold to co-founder Michał Kiciński, separating that business from CD Projekt's principal game-development operations. The company remains centered on premium role-playing games, long-lived intellectual properties, digital distribution of its own titles and international publishing. Its public-market identity is associated with the Warsaw Stock Exchange, where it became part of the WIG20 index in 2018.

History

CD Projekt began in Warsaw in May 1994 when Marcin Iwiński and Michał Kiciński, both previously involved in retailing games, formed a legitimate import and distribution business after Poland's transition to a market economy. Their early operation was small and initially used a friend's apartment as an office. The company imported games from abroad and became an early advocate of Polish-language localization. It progressively moved from partial translation to full localization, including translated scripts, Polish voice performances and adapted packaging. A major early turning point was the Polish release of Baldur's Gate, created in cooperation with Interplay Entertainment. CD Projekt invested in a localized presentation and recruited recognizable Polish actors for the voice cast. The release substantially exceeded the scale of typical localizations at the time. Further work with Interplay led to a planned PC port of Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance. When Interplay encountered financial problems and cancelled the port, CD Projekt redirected its development resources toward an original role-playing project. The company created CD Projekt Red in 2002 and secured rights to develop a game based on Andrzej Sapkowski's Witcher novels. Early prototypes were abandoned after the team struggled with direction and limited development experience. Assistance from BioWare, including access to its Aurora engine and exposure at the 2004 Electronic Entertainment Expo, helped the project progress. The resulting The Witcher was released in 2007 and introduced the Polish literary property to a worldwide game audience. The attempted console adaptation The Witcher: White Wolf placed the company under severe financial pressure. Development delays, escalating costs and disagreement with the external partner contributed to the project's cancellation. Combined with the global financial crisis, the setback brought CD Projekt close to bankruptcy. The company responded by concentrating on The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings and developing technology intended to support future console releases. The Witcher 2 launched in 2011 to strong reviews and expanded the studio's international profile. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt was designed as a substantially larger open-world role-playing game. Its development took several years and required a major expansion of the team and technology. Released in 2015, it received broad critical acclaim and became a commercial landmark for CD Projekt. The studio supported it with free content and two paid expansions, Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine. The game's success financed organizational growth and encouraged the company to develop a second major property. CD Projekt also expanded outside its core development studio. GOG.com, created in 2008, offered older PC games without digital rights management and later added independent and newer major releases. A Wrocław studio opened in 2018, while Spokko was established that year to pursue mobile games. The company also released Gwent: The Witcher Card Game, derived from the in-game card activity in The Witcher 3. Cyberpunk 2077 was announced in 2012 and became the company's most heavily anticipated project. Based on Mike Pondsmith's Cyberpunk 2020 tabletop system, it represented a move from medieval fantasy into science-fiction role-playing. The game launched in December 2020 after repeated delays. Although the PC release was commercially successful, the console versions were affected by major technical defects. The resulting backlash damaged CD Projekt's reputation, generated refund activity and led to legal scrutiny. The company subsequently issued patches and continued development of the game, including the Phantom Liberty expansion. CD Projekt remains a publicly traded Polish game company whose principal identity is built around premium role-playing franchises. The 2025 sale of GOG.com to co-founder Michał Kiciński marked a further separation between the distribution platform and the development-and-publishing business.

2025
GOG.com is sold
[1]CD Projekten.wikipedia.org
The distribution platform is sold to co-founder Michał Kiciński.
2020
Cyberpunk 2077 releases
[2]Cyberpunk 2077en.wikipedia.org
The long-awaited science-fiction role-playing game launches with strong PC demand but serious last-generation console problems.
2018
Wrocław studio opens
[1]CD Projekten.wikipedia.org
CD Projekt establishes a new development location in Wrocław.
2015
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt releases
[1]CD Projekten.wikipedia.org
The open-world sequel becomes a major critical and commercial success and supports substantial company expansion.
2011
The Witcher 2 releases
[1]CD Projekten.wikipedia.org
The sequel expands the franchise's international reach and receives strong critical attention.
2008
GOG.com launches
[1]CD Projekten.wikipedia.org
CD Projekt launches a DRM-free digital distribution service focused initially on classic PC titles.
2007
The Witcher releases
[1]CD Projekten.wikipedia.org
The first Witcher game brings CD Projekt's original development business to the international market.
2002
CD Projekt Red is formed
[1]CD Projekten.wikipedia.org
The company establishes a development division to create original games, beginning work on a Witcher adaptation.
1996
Localization operations expand
[1]CD Projekten.wikipedia.org
CD Projekt begins partial localization work, moving toward the full Polish-language releases that become central to its early business.
1994
CD Projekt is founded
[1]CD Projekten.wikipedia.org
Marcin Iwiński and Michał Kiciński establish the company in Warsaw as an importer and distributor of foreign video games.

Products and positioning

A premium, creator-led game company emphasizing narrative depth, player choice, expansive worlds and long-term support for major role-playing franchises.

Role-playing game series · 2007
The Witcher
CD Projekt Red's first major original property is based on Andrzej Sapkowski's Witcher fiction. The series combines branching narrative choices, moral ambiguity, character-driven quests and fantasy world-building. The 2007 original established the studio internationally, while later entries broadened its scope and production values.
Open-world role-playing game · 2015
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Released in 2015, The Witcher 3 presents a large open world centered on Geralt of Rivia. Its quest design, dialogue choices, exploration and expansions became central to CD Projekt's reputation for premium narrative role-playing games. The company described it as the final Witcher game focused on Geralt's story, while leaving the broader franchise open to future development.
Open-world action role-playing game · 2020
Cyberpunk 2077
Cyberpunk 2077 adapts the Cyberpunk tabletop setting into a first-person open-world role-playing game set in a technologically advanced dystopian city. It emphasizes player customization, branching missions and cinematic storytelling. The 2020 launch was commercially powerful but technically troubled on older consoles, leading to extensive post-release updates.
Digital game distribution · 2008
GOG.com
GOG.com was launched by CD Projekt as a digital storefront for classic PC games, with DRM-free access as a defining principle. It later expanded into independent and newer major releases. The platform was sold to co-founder Michał Kiciński in 2025.
Digital card game · 2018
Gwent: The Witcher Card Game
Gwent is a standalone adaptation of the card game introduced within The Witcher 3. It extends the Witcher property into competitive digital card gaming and was released as a separate product after the in-game activity developed a substantial player following.

Controversies

2021
CD Projekt apologizes over Cyberpunk 2077 launch state
CD Projekt released a formal apology over the state of Cyberpunk 2077 at launch. Co-founder Marcin Iwiński apologized on behalf of company leadership, which he said was responsible for the decision to release the game in that state.
Source
2021
CD Projekt settles investors' lawsuit
CD Projekt settled a lawsuit filed by investors following Cyberpunk 2077's launch. The company said it would pay $1.85 million in exchange for the investors relinquishing all claims against the company and members of its management board.
Source
2021
CD Projekt workplace bullying investigation and director resignation
CD Projekt game director Konrad Tomaszkiewicz resigned after an investigation into workplace bullying allegations. The investigation reportedly concluded he was not guilty of the accusations, while the developer acknowledged that people felt uncomfortable working with him.
Source
2021
CD Projekt discloses ransomware attack
CD Projekt confirmed it was hit by a ransomware attack. The hackers threatened to release stolen source code and internal files if the company did not pay. The company said it had secured its IT infrastructure, begun restoring data, and was investigating; it said that, to its best knowledge, compromised systems did not contain players’ or users’ personal data.
Source
2020
Cyberpunk 2077 launch controversy
The console versions of Cyberpunk 2077 launched with widespread bugs, crashes and performance problems, particularly on older PlayStation and Xbox hardware. The backlash resulted in refund offers, temporary removal from the PlayStation Store and legal scrutiny. The company continued issuing patches and later expanded the game in an effort to address the problems.
Source
2020
Investor sues CD Projekt over alleged misleading statements
In late December 2020, an investor filed a lawsuit against CD Projekt in a federal court in Los Angeles. The suit alleged that the company misled holders of its depositary receipts and caused them losses. The report describes the investor's allegations; it does not indicate that a court has reached any determination on the claims. No further details on the parties, the amount sought, or the outcome are provided in the source.
Source
2017
Workplace-condition criticism
Negative employee reviews raised questions about working conditions and production practices at the studio. Company leadership acknowledged that its development culture was not suitable for everyone, while later reporting around Cyberpunk 2077 also focused on extended overtime.
Source

2015The Witcher 3 free-content and expansion program
Global
Following The Witcher 3's release, CD Projekt provided sixteen free downloadable content items and two paid expansions, Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine.
Outcome. The program strengthened the game's long-tail engagement and reinforced the company's player-friendly reputation.
Source
2007International launch of The Witcher
Global
CD Projekt and its publishing partners introduced the Witcher property beyond Poland, establishing the company as an international role-playing-game developer.
Outcome. The release received generally positive reviews and created the foundation for the later franchise.
Source

Brand decisions

2020
Release Cyberpunk 2077 despite repeated delaysProduct launch
Background
The project had become one of the industry's most anticipated releases, but development delays and production pressure continued into its final period.
Action taken
CD Projekt launched the game in December 2020 across PC and consoles.
Aftermath
Strong PC sales were offset by severe last-generation console problems, refunds, platform action and reputational damage.
Source
2015
Expand The Witcher 3 through free content and paid expansionsStrategy
Background
The success of The Witcher 3 created an opportunity to extend the game's commercial and player life cycle.
Action taken
CD Projekt released sixteen free content items and two major paid expansions.
Aftermath
The approach contributed to the studio's favorable reputation for post-launch support.
Source
2008
Launch a DRM-free digital storefrontStrategy
Background
CD Projekt sought to make older PC games easier to find and play while differentiating its distribution business.
Action taken
It created GOG.com, initially specializing in classic titles without digital rights management.
Aftermath
GOG expanded into newer independent and major releases before being sold to Michał Kiciński in 2025.
Source
2002
Move from distribution into original developmentStrategy
Background
After the cancellation of the Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance PC project, CD Projekt reassessed its role as a distributor and chose to create original games.
Action taken
The company established CD Projekt Red and acquired rights to develop a game based on The Witcher novels.
Aftermath
The move produced the first Witcher game and became the basis of the company's global identity.
Source

Recent events

Unconfirmed
CD Projekt lays off staff on The Witcher multiplayer spin-off Project Sirius[11]CD Projekt 对《巫师》多人衍生项目 Project Sirius 进行裁员finance.sina.com.cn
Reported: 2026-08-13
CD Projekt confirmed layoffs on its The Witcher multiplayer spin-off, codenamed Project Sirius: 4 employees in the Boston office and 5 at the Warsaw headquarters lost their jobs, while 9 others were offered the chance to apply for other internal positions. The team, which had 83 developers as of April 30, is expected to shrink to about 60. CD Projekt said it adjusted team size to match the project's current development stage.
2021-12-16
CD Projekt agrees to settle Cyberpunk 2077 investor lawsuit[8]CD Projekt settles investors' lawsuittechspot.com
Reported: 2021-12-16
CD Projekt agreed to pay $1.85 million to settle claims in a class-action lawsuit brought by public investors who alleged they were misled about the company's financial performance.
Unconfirmed
CD Projekt settles investors' lawsuit[7]CD Projekt settles investors' lawsuitgamesindustry.biz
Reported: 2021-12-16
CD Projekt settled a lawsuit filed by investors following Cyberpunk 2077's launch. The company said it would pay $1.85 million in exchange for the investors relinquishing all claims against the company and members of its management board.
2021-10-22
CD Projekt announces acquisition of The Molasses Flood[12]CD Projekt宣布收购The Molasses Floodvg247.com
Reported: 2021-10-22
CD Projekt announced its acquisition of US-based game developer The Molasses Flood. The studio will retain its identity and will not be merged with existing teams; it will work on its own project based on one of CD Projekt’s intellectual properties.
2021-10-22
The Molasses Flood joins CD Projekt[13]The Molasses Flood 加入 CD Projektshacknews.com
Reported: 2021-10-22
The Molasses Flood joined CD Projekt and became part of the company while retaining its studio name. The studio had begun work on a new game set in an existing CD Projekt universe.
2021-06-01
CD Projekt reports quarterly profit decline[14]CD Projekt公布季度利润下降chinaz.com
CD Projekt reported results for the quarter ended March 31, 2021, with profit down 65% year over year. The article attributes the decline to Cyberpunk 2077 optimization problems and slower sales of The Witcher 3.
2021-05-04
CD Projekt workplace bullying investigation and director resignation[9]CD Projekt workplace bullying investigation and director resignationgamesindustry.biz
Reported: 2021-05-04
CD Projekt game director Konrad Tomaszkiewicz resigned after an investigation into workplace bullying allegations. The investigation reportedly concluded he was not guilty of the accusations, while the developer acknowledged that people felt uncomfortable working with him.
2021-05-04
Witcher 3 director resigns from CD Projekt[15]《巫师3》总监辞去CD Projekt职务eurogamer.net
Reported: 2021-05-04
Konrad Tomaszkiewicz resigned from CD Projekt following a months-long investigation into workplace-bullying allegations. The investigation reportedly found him not guilty; the article says his departure was agreed with the studio's board.
2021-03-30
CD Projekt acquires Digital Scapes[16]CD Projekt 收购 Digital Scapesmobilesyrup.com
Reported: 2021-03-30
CD Projekt acquired Vancouver-based video game developer Digital Scapes. CD Projekt said it would make the studio the foundation for a wider CD Projekt Red Vancouver team.
2021-03-30
CD Projekt announces acquisition of Digital Scapes[17]CD Projekt宣布收购Digital Scapesza.ign.com
Reported: 2021-03-30
CD Projekt announced that it had signed contracts to acquire Vancouver-based Digital Scapes, which was to become CD Projekt Red Vancouver.

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