CD Projekt Red to reduce workforce by nine percent
CD Projekt Red, the developer of the popular Witcher video game series, is reportedly facing a situation where it has more employees than available work. Consequently, the company has recently revealed plans to reduce its workforce by approximately nine percent, resulting in around 100 job cuts. This announcement comes after previous rounds of layoffs in May and June, which saw 29 employees being let go from The Molasses Flood (a subsidiary of CD Projekt Red), followed by another 30 individuals who were working on a downsized Witcher card game.
“To meet our own high expectations and goals to create the best role-playing games, we want not only the best people, but also the right teams,” CD Projekt Red CEO Adam Kiciński said in a press release. “This is not easy to say, but today we are overstaffed. We have talented people who are finishing their assignments and – based on current and expected project needs – we already know that we will not have other opportunities for them next year.” The company is notifying all employees now, but the layoffs are staggered, and some of them will not take effect until early 2024.
CD Projekt Red had a tough last few years – especially with the mess caused by the release of Cyberpunk 2077. Sony Interactive Entertainment removed the game from its PlayStation Store at the end of 2020 – just a week after its release – due to widespread bugs. Customers were offered refunds, and CD Projekt Red’s stock fell more than 20 percent, or $1.8 billion. Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, its sequel starring Keanu Reeves and Idris Elba, will hopefully have a smoother launch when it releases on the 26th. September
