SAN FRANCISCO: Video game developer CD Projekt Red (CDPR), who developed franchises like The Witcher and Cyberpunk, has announced to lay off nearly 9 per cent of its workforce, or around 100 people.
"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," CD Projekt CEO Adam Kicinski said in a blogpost on Wednesday.
The company also said that the job cuts will not be immediate as some employees will be let go as late as Q1 2024.
"We want team members to have ample time to process and adjust to the change, and we’ve also made sure to offer everyone a comprehensive severance package," the company mentioned. The studio has a big slate of projects in the works, such as Polaris (The Witcher franchise), Orion (Cyberpunk franchise), and Hadar (a new franchise).
"To meet our own high expectations and ambitions to create the best role-playing games, we not only want to have the best people but also the righ* teams. What we mean by that is having teams that are built around our projects’ needs; teams that are more agile and more effective," Kicinski said.
"At this point in time, we’re certain that for CD Projekt Red to grow, we need to be consistent in implementing that approach," he added.
In March popular video game company Electronic Arts (EA) had laid off around 6 per cent of its workforce amid global macro-economic uncertainties.
At the time, EA CEO Andrew Wilson told employees that as the company drives greater focus across its portfolio, "we are moving away from projects that do not contribute to our strategy, reviewing our real estate footprint, and restructuring some of our teams".