For years, Project Hadar has been little more than a codename. Now CD Projekt Red says its mysterious new IP has reached the “world vision” stage — the first fully original game the studio has ever made is finally taking shape.

What is Project Hadar?

First announced back in 2022, Hadar is CD Projekt Red’s first fully original IP — not based on Andrzej Sapkowski’s Witcher books, not based on the Cyberpunk tabletop game, but built from scratch by the studio itself. Details have been almost nonexistent since the announcement, which is why this week’s update matters: it’s the first real signal that the project is moving.

The milestone

Joint CEO Michał Nowakowski told Polish outlet Biznes Pap that Hadar is his studio’s “biggest undertaking to date,” and that after years of groundwork, the team now has “a coherent vision for this world and its key elements.” The team has officially begun work on the game — though it’s not yet in pre-production. Prototypes are being built in Unreal Engine. The team currently numbers 30-plus and is expected to grow to around 50 by the end of 2026.

What kind of game is it?

A recent job listing confirms Hadar is an open-world RPG aiming for an “emotional, open-world experience” that “will stay with gamers.” That’s about as on-brand as it gets for the studio behind The Witcher 3.

Where it sits in the lineup

Hadar is one piece of a crowded CD Projekt Red roadmap: the Witcher 3 expansion “Songs of the Past” is due in 2027, The Witcher 4 (starring Ciri) is targeting 2028, and a Cyberpunk 2077 sequel follows after that. Hadar is clearly years away — but “world vision complete” means it’s graduated from idea to actual game development.

KongMNG’s take

CD Projekt Red making an original IP is the most interesting thing on their slate — no source material to lean on, no lore safety net. “Biggest undertaking to date” is a bold claim from the studio that made The Witcher 3. We won’t see this game for years, but today it got real.

Sources