CD Projekt Red has revealed that its mysterious codenamed game, Project Hadar, is the largest undertaking in the studio’s history — and it is not even in pre-production yet. Joint-CEO Michał Nowakowski told Polish outlet PAP Biznes that the team has spent “several good years” building a coherent vision of the world, but small prototypes and gameplay tests are only just beginning.
First unveiled in 2022, Hadar represents something new for the Polish developer: a completely original IP, built from scratch rather than adapted from existing fiction. Unlike The Witcher (based on Andrzej Sapkowski’s novels) or Cyberpunk 2077 (from Mike Pondsmith’s TTRPG), Hadar will be CDPR’s own creation entirely.
A Coherent World, Not Yet a Game
“At this point we can say that we have a coherent vision of its world and its key elements,” Nowakowski said. “The team has started working on the game, although we’re not quite at the pre-production stage yet. We’re currently developing small prototypes, and we’re also testing gameplay elements.”
The “world vision” phase — during which developers define how an entire universe looks, sounds, and feels — is now complete. That is a significant milestone for a brand-new IP, but it also means the game is still a long way from anything resembling a public reveal. Prototypes are being built in Unreal Engine 5, with a job listing from June 2026 describing the project as an “emotional, open-world experience” designed to “stay with players”.
By the numbers: 33 developers on Hadar as of July 2026, rising to 50 by year-end. Compare that with 519 on The Witcher 4, 184 on Cyberpunk 2, and 84 on Project Sirius.
Where Hadar Sits in CDPR’s Pipeline
The studio’s resources are stretched across multiple ambitious projects. The Witcher 4, scheduled for 2028, commands the largest team at 519 developers. Cyberpunk 2 sits in pre-production with 184 staff. Project Sirius, the action-adventure being built in collaboration with external studios, has 84. Hadar, with just 33, is the smallest — but Nowakowski insists its scope will eclipse them all.
The hiring pipeline supports that ambition: CDPR plans to grow the Hadar team to 50 by the end of 2026, with further expansion expected as the project moves into full pre-production.
What We Know — and Don’t
Almost everything about Hadar remains under wraps. No setting, no story details, no character art, no platforms. The June job listing hinted at a narrative-driven open world with strong emotional core — classic CDPR territory. The use of Unreal Engine 5 marks a departure from the studio’s proprietary REDengine, which powered The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077.
Given that the game is not yet in pre-production and has already consumed several years of development, a release before the early 2030s seems unlikely. For now, Hadar is a promise — CDPR’s biggest bet on its own creative identity, and a signal that the studio wants to prove it can build worlds beyond the ones it inherited.
