The Witcher 4: Preparations Underway for Highly Anticipated Sequel
In exciting news for fans of The Witcher franchise, CD Projekt Red, the Polish video game development studio, is gearing up for the production of The Witcher 4. While the game has not entered the production phase just yet, the developer is diligently preparing to embark on the creation of the long-awaited successor to the critically acclaimed Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, released in 2015.
According to the new co-CEO, Adam Badowski, the upcoming installment, codenamed Polaris, will soon begin the production phase, with a team of 400 developers expected to be in place by mid-year.
The departure of long-time CEO Adam Kiciński in late 2023 paved the way for Badowski, formerly the head of the development team, to join forces with former Chief Commercial Officer Michał Nowakowski in sharing the top position. Together, they hope to redefine the image of CD Projekt, following Kiciński’s admission of responsibility for the rocky release of Cyberpunk 2077 and his commitment to avoiding similar pitfalls in the future.
One crucial step towards dispelling negative perceptions involves making it clear that the studio has no intention of relying on a monolithic AI workforce. It’s safe to say that this aspect has been taken into consideration, as CD Projekt has established an in-house team to study how artificial intelligence can be useful. However, as stated by Nowakowski in an interview with Reuters, the studio believes that “AI is something that can help improve certain processes in game development, but not replace humans.”
Indeed, artificial intelligence plays an instrumental role in game creation, becoming an integral part of the tools used to develop games – regardless of the potential downsides – due to the demands of capitalism. But it would be naive to believe that learning how something can be “useful” doesn’t quickly lead to learning who it can replace. Aside from the more sensational aspects, such as art generation, AI has the potential to subtly and inconspicuously replace a significant portion of work, ultimately rendering certain roles obsolete. However, until Steve receives a universal income from the savings provided by our newfound robot companions, it’s not all rosy for Steve.
The duo also shared that work on the continuation of Cyberpunk will commence later in 2024, with an expected team size of 80 members or more by year-end.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Has The Witcher 4 entered the production phase yet?
No, The Witcher 4 has not entered the production phase at CD Projekt Red. - What is the codename for the next installment of The Witcher?
The codename for the next installment of The Witcher is Polaris. - How many people will be employed to work on the game by mid-2024?
CD Projekt Red aims to have 400 people working on The Witcher 4 by mid-2024. - Who is the new co-CEO?
Adam Badowski serves as the new co-CEO. - Who currently holds the position of Chief Creative Officer?
The role of Chief Creative Officer is held by Adam Badowski. - What is the planned start date for work on the Cyberpunk sequel?
Work on the Cyberpunk sequel is slated to begin later in 2024.
Definitions:
Developer – a person or company responsible for creating, designing, and developing software.
CEO (Chief Executive Officer) – the highest-ranking executive in a company.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) – the field of computer science that deals with creating systems capable of processing information and making decisions based on prior experience.
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The source of the article is from the blog newyorkpostgazette.com