It’s not justCyberpunk 2077seeing a resurgence in popularity, but the developer behind the game,CD Projekt Red. The company seems willing to capitalize on this momentum, recently revealing several key details at a recent investor meeting. Fans already knew thatCD Projekt Red was working on a newWitchersaga, but it also confirmed that a proper sequel forCyberpunk 2077was in development.
Perhaps the most exciting announcement is thatCD Projekt Red is working on a new IP, simply dubbed Hadar. It’s in the absolute earliest stages of conception, with a “strike team” working on that, and while concrete details were obviously not provided, CD Projekt Red said fans shouldn’t expect any major “surprises” from the IP. In other words, CD Projekt Red wants to rely on its strengths, suggesting this is going to be another open-world RPG. That’s perfect for the developer, but with that in mind, there’s a strong case it should be a Sci-Fi game.
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CD Projekt Red Must Expand Its Strengths with the New IP
No matter what Project Hadar turns out to be, it’s going to be compared to theWitcher 3, the newWitchergames,Cyberpunk 2077, and of course depending on the time of the releases, perhaps evenCyberpunk 2077’s sequel. One comparison that would not bode well for project Hadar is if it were another fantasy game like theWitcheror another cyberpunk game likeCyberpunk 2077. CD Projekt Red’s talent for open-world RPGs means it could do just about anything, and retreading the same approaches would only do the new IP harm. Indeed, whenCyberpunk 2077was first revealed, the whole idea of a cyberpunk game from theWitcherdeveloper carried the momentum of its hype for years.
If CD Projekt Red takes fantasy and cyberpunk off the board, the biggest question is what setting and style the game would take, and Sci-Fi is perfect. It’s more than just cyberpunk, and it’s a completely different tone from fantasy. And sure, there is competition like BioWare’s upcomingMass Effect 4and Bethesda’sStarfield,but this new IP is likely years and years away. The newWitchersaga will begin before it releases, and again, it’s probable that theCyberpunksequel does as well. There’s certainly space for moreSci-Fi RPGsin the industry, and years out, that’s an even stronger stance.
What’s more,CD Projekt Redhas billed this as an original IP, built from scratch, meaning it won’t be based on an existing property likeWitcherorCyberpunk.This is the company’s time to expand its libraries, and when doing that with its current line-up of games, it should look up to do so.
