Project Hadar: Inside CD Projekt Red's Third Major Franchise and Its Crucial Development Update

The Hadar Announcement: From Concept to Active Creation

Amidst detailed updates on The Witcher and Cyberpunk sequels during a recent earnings call, CD Projekt Red's leadership briefly spotlighted the studio's greatest mystery: Project Hadar. This "important development update" signals a pivotal shift for the original IP destined to become the studio's third major franchise.

CD Projekt Red has built its reputation on crafting worlds that captivate millions. From the monster-infested, politically charged fantasy of The Witcher to the neon-drenched, corpo-ruled dystopia of Cyberpunk 2077, the studio specializes in creating settings that feel lived-in and deeply compelling. For an audience accustomed to this deep lore, Hadar represents a leap into the complete unknown. This article will dissect what this update truly means, explore Hadar's nascent place within CDPR's ambitious and crowded pipeline, and analyze the scarce details we have about this mysterious third pillar.

The update came via a prepared statement from Joint-CEO Michał Nowakowski during CD Projekt Red's earnings call in May 2024. While specifics on genre, setting, and story remain firmly under wraps, the nature of the update itself was revealing. Nowakowski confirmed that Project Hadar has progressed from an "exploratory pre-production" phase into an active stage of "design and prototyping."

This transition is a critical milestone in any game's lifecycle, especially for a new intellectual property. The "exploratory" phase likely involved high-concept brainstorming, genre studies, and initial world-building discussions. Moving to "design and prototyping" signifies that the core creative team has, in Nowakowski's words, "established the foundations" of the IP. This foundational work involves defining the new world's unique identity, its distinguishing features, and the core creative pillars that will separate it from The Witcher and Cyberpunk. It is the moment the concept begins its transformation into a tangible, interactive experience.

Decoding the Development: Team, Tools, and Prototypes

The scale of the operation offers the clearest indicator of Hadar's early-stage status. As of the end of February 2026, according to the studio's report, the project team comprised 26 developers. This number is stark when contrasted with the studio's other major projects: 499 developers were assigned to The Witcher 4 (codenamed Polaris), and 149 to Cyberpunk 2 (Orion), out of a total studio workforce of over 900. Hadar's small, core team is typical for this "design and prototyping" phase, where small, agile groups test ideas before a project scales up for full production.

Technically, the team is building these early prototypes using Unreal Engine 5. This aligns with CDPR's strategic shift to a multi-project Unreal Engine pipeline, moving away from its proprietary REDengine. Using the same engine that will power The Witcher 4 and Cyberpunk 2 allows for shared technological learnings and tool development across the studio, even as each project explores vastly different creative territory.

The codename "Hadar" itself fits within CDPR's established naming convention of using stars and constellations. Cyberpunk 2 is "Orion," and The Witcher 4 is "Polaris." Hadar is the traditional name for Beta Centauri, one of the brightest stars in the constellation Centaurus. This naming scheme reinforces Hadar's status as a co-equal, future pillar of the studio's portfolio, a new star in its creative firmament.

The Big Picture: Hadar's Place in CDPR's Crowded Pipeline

Understanding Hadar requires mapping it onto CDPR's publicly outlined timeline, which is packed for the foreseeable future. The studio has confirmed that The Witcher 4 (Polaris), which entered production in 2024, is not expected to launch until after 2027. Cyberpunk 2 (Orion) is in an earlier conceptual phase. This context makes Hadar's early prototyping stage perfectly logical—it is the studio's longest-term bet.

The small team size and early phase clearly indicate a release window that is many years away, likely deep into the 2030s. This raises fascinating questions about studio management. CDPR is now tasked with shepherding three major, concurrent AAA franchises, each requiring immense creative and technical resources. The current structure—with the bulk of its workforce on The Witcher, a growing team on Cyberpunk 2, and a pioneering squad on Hadar—suggests a carefully staggered pipeline designed to sustain the studio for the next decade and beyond.

It is also worth noting what the investor call did not include: any official information on a rumored new expansion for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. This absence underscores that CDPR's primary focus and messaging are firmly fixed on its future—the next saga, the next sequel, and the next original universe.

Reading Between the Lines: What Could Hadar Be?

The confirmation that Hadar is a completely new IP, distinct from its fantasy and sci-fi behemoths, opens a universe of possibilities. This move is strategically sound; a third franchise diversifies the studio's portfolio, mitigates risk, and prevents over-reliance on any single property. The more compelling question is not just what genre it might be, but how CDPR's established creative DNA will adapt to a fresh template.

The studio's core strengths—deep, choice-driven narrative; complex, morally grey characters; and immersive, lore-rich world-building—are not genre-specific. A blank slate presents a unique opportunity. Could it allow for a greater focus on systemic, emergent storytelling beyond branching dialogue? Might it explore a different structural approach to open-world design, perhaps one more focused on dense, handcrafted regions rather than vast continents? The move to Unreal Engine 5 also suggests confidence in tackling new technical and visual challenges that a new setting would demand.

Analysts and fans have speculated on genres from historical fiction to supernatural thrillers. However, the key takeaway is that concrete details are being kept secret by design. The "design and prototyping" phase is where the game's soul is forged through experimentation and iteration. To reveal anything now would lock in concepts that may yet evolve or be discarded. The silence is not an absence of ideas but a protective measure for a fragile, growing creation.

Project Hadar represents CD Projekt Red's most ambitious long-term wager on its own creative future. While it exists as little more than prototypes and foundational documents today, the shift from exploration to active design is a vital first step in a marathon development journey. This update serves as a promise to fans: the next decade for CDPR will be defined not only by the evolution of the worlds we already love but also by the birth of an entirely new one. Hadar is the symbol of a studio confident enough in its legacy to look beyond it, ensuring that its future will be built on both beloved sequels and bold, original visions.