CD Projekt Red (CDPR), the gaming giant responsible for franchises such as The Witcher and Cyberpunk, announced that it will be laying off approximately 9 per cent of its workforce, which equates to about 100 employees.

CEO Adam Kiciński wrote in the post on Wednesday, “There’s no easy way to say this, but today we are overstaffed. We have talented people on board who are finishing their tasks and — based on current and expected project needs — we already know we don’t have other opportunities for them in the next year.”

Despite having a significant lineup of projects in progress, including the imminent release of Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, a major expansion featuring Idris Elba on September 26th, CD Projekt Red (CDPR) is still planning a series of releases. 

These include a remake of the first Witcher game, a new Witcher trilogy, a Witcher spinoff with the codename "Project Sirius," a new Cyberpunk game codenamed "Orion," and an entirely new franchise under the codename "Hadar." However, despite the ambitious plans, the studio will proceed with staff cuts.

In a statement, Kiciński emphasised that in order to meet their high expectations and create exceptional role-playing games, CD Projekt Red (CDPR) seeks to have not only the best individuals but also the right teams tailored to their projects' requirements. 

The goal is to foster more agile and effective teams. The layoffs will not all occur at once, as some employees will be laid off as late as Q1 2024, according to Kiciński's remarks.

Following the release of Cyberpunk 2077 in an extremely buggy state, CD Projekt Red (CDPR) faced significant criticism for implementing six-day workweeks before the game's launch. 

In response, the studio has undertaken internal changes as part of an ongoing process to undergo several fundamental transformations. The objective is to ensure the creation of high-quality games, delivered on time, without resorting to crunch, as highlighted by Kiciński's statement.

This year, major gaming studios such as Activision Blizzard, EA, and Niantic have also carried out staff layoffs.