CD Projekt Red shares 'important development update' for its unknown third franchise called 'Hadar' — 'Work on the project is progressing dynamically, and the team has established the foundations of this entirely new IP' | Tech Radar

Overview

CD Projekt Red shares 'important development update' for its unknown third franchise called 'Hadar' — 'Work on the project is progressing dynamically, and the team has established the foundations of this entirely new IP'

Most new CDPR hires are now part of the team working on The Witcher 4

Details

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

CD Projekt Red joint-CEO Michał Nowakowski shared an update on the studio's third franchise, Hadar

He says work on the project is "progressing dynamically"

Nowakowski also provided an update on The Witcher 4's development

CD Projekt Red has provided a new update on The Witcher 4's development as well as progress on its mystery third franchise, codenamed Hadar.

Speaking in its annual earnings call, CDPR joint-CEO Michał Nowakowski shared "an important development update" regarding Hadar and confirmed that work on the project is "progressing dynamically, and the team has established the foundations of this entirely new IP."

"Now, we have clearly defined distinguishing features of this world, and established key pillars that will not only provide the foundation for the game itself, but also, potentially, for other future products," Nowakowski said.

CD Projekt Red is reportedly working on a new expansion for The Witcher 3 ahead of The Witcher 4's release — and I'll be there day one

CD Projekt Red's The Witcher 4 may join GTA 6 in rumored production costs

The Witcher 4 might have just gained a Bio Ware veteran as CD Projekt Red hires new AI director — 'Amazing things to come!'

"Of course, this does not mean the end of work on IP itself, which will naturally continue to evolve and develop on many fronts over time. The team is now actively designing specific elements that might be included in the game. We are creating multiple prototypes and implementing them directly in Unreal Engine. This allows us to live-test and verify how selected mechanics and gameplay elements can perform."

CDPR first announced project Hadar back in 2022, which the studio calls a new series set in an original universe, but development updates have been quiet until today.

Nowakowski mentioned that, as of the end of February 2026, it had over 900 developers on board, meaning it gained more than 220 developers over the past year.

A chart shows that 26 people were working on Hadar at the end of February this year (thanks, Game Spot).

The co-CEO also shared an update on The Witcher 4, which is reportedly not launching until after 2027. Nowakowski said that, compared to October 2025, most new hires are now part of the team working on the game, "where they help improve quality and scale up solutions presented in the Unreal Fest tech demo across the entire game."

"Having gained greater visibility on the game’s scope, we are strengthening our internal teams while at the same time recruiting top-class talent to provide long-term support in delivering both The Witcher 4 and our future titles," he said.

"Of course, these headcount numbers only reflect the projects we are developing internally. They do not include projects that we do in cooperation with our external partners, including the one we are working on with Fool's Theory." Nowakowski is referring to Fool's Theory's Witcher 1 remake.

The third Witcher 3 DLC rumored to be a build up to The Witcher 4 will reportedly take place near the familiar location of Velen

'We have no plans for additional DLCs or expansions' — CD Projekt Red shuts down a 'secret' Cyberpunk 2077 content drop, but is remaining suspiciously quiet amid Witcher 3 expansion rumors

CD Projekt Red and Nvidia are teaming up to transform the future of PC gaming

CDPR is also developing the Cyberpunk 2077 sequel, which now has 149 developers working on it.

On top of a new trilogy of Witcher games that the studio wants to release within a six-year time frame, rumors have been floating around for months that a third expansion for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt will arrive this year.

➡️ Read our full guide to the best gaming consoles

1. Best overall: Play Station 5 Slim
2. Best budget: Xbox Series S
3. Best handheld: Nintendo Switch 2
4. Most powerful: Play Station 5 Pro

Follow Tech Radar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!

And of course you can also follow Tech Radar on Tik Tok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form, and get regular updates from us on Whats App too.

Demi is a freelance games journalist for Tech Radar Gaming. She's been a games writer for five years and has written for outlets such as Game Spot, NME, and Games Radar, covering news, features, and reviews. Outside of writing, she plays a lot of RPGs and talks far too much about Star Wars on X.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

1 Save $50 on 64GB of super-fast Crucial Pro OC DDR5-6000 RAM in this limited-time deal

2 Project Hail Mary ending explained: what happens to Ryland Grace and Rocky?

3'Is Marathon a success? Unfortunately, no, not yet' — Former Xbox exec says Bungie's new extraction shooter was built at a scale and cost that the current market 'simply isn't rewarding'

4 Amazon has slashed the Fire TV Stick 4K Select to its lowest price ever thanks to an easy-to-miss coupon

Tech Radar is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Key Takeaways

• CD Projekt Red shares 'important development update' for its unknown third franchise called 'Hadar' — 'Work on the project is progressing dynamically, and the team has established the foundations of this entirely new IP'

• Most new CDPR hires are now part of the team working on The Witcher 4

• When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission

• CD Projekt Red joint-CEO Michał Nowakowski shared an update on the studio's third franchise, Hadar

• He says work on the project is "progressing dynamically"