CD Projekt RED Plans Three New Witcher Games in Six Years After Wild Hunt Reaches 65 Million Sales Milestone
Polish video game developer CD Projekt RED has announced ambitious plans to release three new games in The Witcher franchise over the next six years, following the remarkable commercial success of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. During the company’s quarterly financial report, executives revealed that the 2015 masterpiece has now sold an impressive 65 million copies worldwide, cementing its status as one of the most successful role-playing games in history. This milestone, achieved over eleven years since the game’s initial release, demonstrates the enduring appeal of the fantasy franchise and the studio’s ability to create lasting gaming experiences.
The announcement of three upcoming Witcher titles represents a significant acceleration in the franchise’s development pace, marking a departure from the studio’s previous approach of focusing on single, large-scale projects over extended periods. However, in a somewhat controversial decision, CD Projekt RED has confirmed that none of these three games will receive downloadable content expansions. This strategy contrasts sharply with The Witcher 3, which benefited enormously from its acclaimed DLC releases, Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine, both of which were praised for their substantial content and storytelling quality that rivaled many full-priced games.
The Witcher franchise, based on the beloved book series by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski, has grown from a niche European RPG into a global multimedia phenomenon. The first Witcher game launched in 2007 to modest success, but it was the sequel, The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, that began building international recognition for the franchise. When The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt arrived in 2015, it captured the gaming world’s attention with its sprawling open world, morally complex narrative, and memorable characters. The game went on to win numerous Game of the Year awards and is frequently cited as one of the greatest video games ever made, influencing countless open-world RPGs that followed.
The success of The Witcher 3 was further amplified by the release of Netflix’s The Witcher television series in 2019, starring Henry Cavill as the protagonist Geralt of Rivia. The show’s popularity led to renewed interest in the games, driving millions of additional sales years after the original release. This synergy between gaming and streaming entertainment demonstrated the franchise’s cross-platform appeal and helped introduce The Witcher to audiences who might never have discovered it through gaming alone. The series has since continued with additional seasons and spin-off productions, keeping the property firmly in the public consciousness.
CD Projekt RED’s decision to forgo DLC for its upcoming trilogy has sparked discussion within the gaming community. Some analysts suggest this approach may indicate a shift toward releasing more complete, self-contained experiences, potentially addressing criticisms in the modern gaming industry about content being withheld for later monetization. Others speculate that the studio may be planning to deliver larger base games that incorporate what would traditionally be expansion content. The company’s reputation took a significant hit following the troubled launch of Cyberpunk 2077 in 2020, and this new strategy could be an attempt to rebuild trust by promising focused, polished releases.
The first of the three announced Witcher games, internally codenamed Polaris, is believed to be the beginning of a new saga within the franchise, potentially moving beyond Geralt’s story while maintaining the dark fantasy setting that fans love. The development team has been building the game on Unreal Engine 5, a departure from the proprietary REDengine technology used for previous titles. This technical shift is expected to streamline development processes and could explain the ambitious timeline of releasing three major titles within six years, a pace unprecedented for the studio.
As CD Projekt RED looks toward the future, the company appears determined to establish The Witcher as a cornerstone franchise that can sustain multiple releases and creative directions. The 65 million copies sold by Wild Hunt provide not only financial resources but also a massive fanbase eager for new content. Whether the no-DLC approach will satisfy players accustomed to substantial post-launch support remains to be seen, but the studio’s track record suggests careful consideration has gone into this strategic decision. For fans of monster hunters and morally gray choices, the coming years promise an abundance of new adventures in the Continent.