The Witcher and Cyberpunk 2077 developer CD Projekt has issued a message to those dreaming of acquiring the studio: we are not for sale.
During a recent interview with Polish publication Parkiet, CD Projekt CEO Adam Kiciński said the company isn’t interested in being “incorporated into some larger entity.”
“We have worked all our lives to reach our current position. We believe that in a few years we will be even bigger and even stronger,” he explained.
Kiciński said any intermittent rumblings that might imply CD Projekt has become a takeover target are “just rumors” and reiterated that the company values independence.
CD Projekt itself has previously acquired studios such as The Molasses Flood and Digital Scapes, but Kiciński indicated the company currently has no plans to add to its roster of internal studios.
CD Projekt not planning any acquisitions
“We do not plan any acquisitions at this time. Of course, we are open to ideas that could accelerate the implementation of our strategy,” he added (via Google Translate). “But we are not interested in purchases that would only aim to include the acquired companies in our group and consolidate their financial results. We don’t see the value in it.”
Discussing the company’s headcount, which was reduced last year after CD Projekt sanctioned a wave of layoffs, Kiciński said the company doesn’t expect to take similar measures in 2024.
“I would rather say that employment will remain stable because some people will move between projects, including: from ‘Cyberpunk’ to ‘Polaris.’ However, in 2025 I would expect a further increase in employment,” he said.
In pure sales terms, CD Projekt ended 2023 on a high. Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty sold 4.3 million copies in two months to drive quarterly revenue to over $112 million.
For workers at the company, the year was more tumultuous. CD Projekt laid off members of the Gwent team after ending active development on the title and cut another 100 jobs to become “more agile and more effective.”
However, it also voluntarily recognized the Polish Gamedev Workers Union, which was formed late last year to “ensure job security, fair treatment, and transparency within our employer organizations.”