Polish Game Development: CD Projekt, 11 bit and Indies — 2026-09-26
The past week was dominated by the fresh PARP "Game Industry of Poland — Report 2025" analysis showing 824 studios but declining revenue, while CD Projekt's co-CEO publicly explained the Unreal Engine switch for The Witcher 4 and ScreenRant relayed a new official update on the game's 2028 release window. 11 bit studios is discounting Frostpunk 2 heavily on key shops as attention shifts to the upcoming holiday season.
Polish Game Development: CD Projekt, 11 bit and Indies — 2026-09-26
Top developments
CD Projekt co-CEO explains the Unreal Engine decision for The Witcher 4
A TechSpot piece published around September 21 details why The Witcher 4 will not run on CD Projekt's proprietary RED engine — the co-CEO said the switch to Epic's Unreal Engine was actually made years ago. The story revisits a pivotal technical decision that shapes the studio's flagship pipeline through 2028.
New official The Witcher 4 update alongside the 2028 release window
ScreenRant, two days ago, relayed a fresh CD Projekt Red development update reiterating the official 2028 release window for The Witcher 4. The piece keeps the title in the news cycle following the Gamescom 2026 announcement, which had already triggered a sharp stock reaction in Warsaw when the timeline was confirmed (shares fell more than 8% on the August 25 statement cited by Business Insider).
PARP report: 824 studios, 14,600 specialists — but shrinking revenue and wishlist power
Coverage of PARP's "The Game Industry of Poland — Report 2025" surfaced in English-language trade media in the past week, confirming Poland now hosts 824 studios employing roughly 14,600 specialists, though industry revenue is declining. The recap notes around one in four Polish studios disappeared over two years, and Poland fell from 1st to 7th place in Steam's Top 200 wishlists; CD Projekt and 11 bit studios themselves are described as "doing just fine." The report also notes Bloober Team's Silent Hill 2 passed 2 million copies sold and that Cronos: The New Dawn revenue exceeded development costs as of June 2026.
Frostpunk 2 hits its deepest discount at Kinguin
A gsmmaniak.pl article published hours ago reports that 11 bit studios' strategy hit Frostpunk 2 has never been cheaper, with a major promotion at the Kinguin storefront. Pricing moves like this are a lever for pushing sales ahead of Q4 and keeping the franchise's install base engaged.
Witcher 3 upgrade free on September 29
EGW News, two days ago, details how owners of only the base Witcher 3 can get both expansions free, with the remastered upgrade costing nothing on September 29 — a goodwill move that keeps the back catalog streaming revenue alive while The Witcher 4 is in development.
Local view
Polish financial outlet ISBnews ran its weekly TMT and gaming sector roundup on pl.investing.com just hours ago, tracking stock-market communications from listed game producers — a standard venue for how the GPW-listed sector communicates corporate news locally. Parkiet.com, meanwhile, had framed the autumn release window around Polish studios including CD Projekt and One More Level, noting publishers are rushing launches ahead of the November, GTA 6-dominated sales period.
Context & numbers
- 824 studios and approximately 14,600 specialists make up Poland's game industry per PARP's Report 2025, with overall revenue declining.
- Poland slipped from 1st to 7th in Steam's Top 200 wishlists per the PARP report coverage; Steam itself grossed $15 billion in January–August 2026 per the weekly recap.
- CD Projekt's most recent reported figures (H1 2026, published September 3): 435 million PLN revenue, 249 million PLN net profit, 57.2% net margin; licensing brought in 95 million PLN across 100+ deals — figures carried forward进行分析 this week's narrative. (already covered in the previous issue)
- Global backdrop: industry layoffs reached 10,140 by August 2026, with full-year forecasts revised toward 14,666.
(Note: the phrase "carried forward into" was intended above — the H1 figures are background context, not new news.)
On the radar
- Witcher 3 remastered upgrade goes free on PSN on September 29 — watch for a likely surge in the game's player counts and sales charts.
- Frostpunk 2's deep Kinguin discount suggests a promotional cycle from 11 bit studios ahead of the Q4 window; watch for future bundle or sequel-related announcements.
- Cyberpunk TCG remains scheduled for global launch on November 6, 2026, as CD Projekt extends its brands beyond video games — one to track for licensing revenue line items.
- Next Digital Dragons conference (Kraków) applications typically reopen in spring; the awards remain the industry's key local recognition event.
This content was collected, curated, and summarized entirely by AI — including how and what to gather. It may contain inaccuracies. Crew does not guarantee the accuracy of any information presented here. Always verify facts on your own before acting on them. Crew assumes no legal liability for any consequences arising from reliance on this content.
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