The developer is wholeheartedly committed to investing their efforts in the creation of the forthcoming Witcher 4.
After the problematic launch of Cyberpunk 2077, CD PROJEKT RED’s morale took a major hit due to its poor reception. Subsequently, they’ve made extensive efforts to rectify the game’s issues and bring it up to the initial standards and expectations.
This entailed numerous patches and a thorough overhaul of the game’s core mechanics, resulting in a refreshed and more intricate system for users. The Phantom Liberty expansion also received dedicated attention and support, leading to a successful launch, as evidenced by the impressive numbers.
According to the team’s audio engineer director, Colin Walder, in an interview with Inven Global.
“The morale took a significant hit; that’s clear. The crucial thing was to acknowledge what happened. We had to admit that the outcome wasn’t what we’d hoped for and that we were determined to change things. But it’s one thing to say it; it has to be put into practice, you know? Actions speak louder than words.”
The unfavourable “outcome” that Walder refers to is most likely the poor working conditions at CD Projekt Red during Cyberpunk 2077’s buggy launch, which went so far that Sony decided to pull the game from the PlayStation stores for almost six months in an unprecedented move. However, according to Walder, they are serious and committed to changing things, so that history does not repeat itself.
“You’ve got to demonstrate commitment,” he continued. Walder mentioned that the studio now looks more carefully at tight schedules and approaches problems differently, instead of just “reverting to crunch” as they have before.
“Once this becomes a repeated behaviour – once the team sees a genuine effort to prevent crunch – that’s when trust and morale start to rebuild. People need to see it to believe it.”
Walder also mentioned that the team’s revamped development process involves testing The Witcher 4 on consoles to avoid the problems experienced with Cyberpunk 2077.
On a slightly different topic, when asked about the use of AI in audio design and voice work, Walden said that “ethical considerations are paramount.” Walden also noted the studio’s recent use of AI to replicate the voice of the late actor Miłogost Reczek, with the family’s consent.
Walden calls the example “touching” and emphasizes “the importance of handling such situations with utmost respect and sensitivity, ensuring it’s not exploitative”. Something that has not been the case as of late in other areas recently in the industry.