CD Projekt has recently announced its plans to lay off nearly 10 percent of its workforce claiming it is currently overstaffed.
CD Projekt Lays Off Staff
It has been confirmed that The Witcher and Cyberpunk developer will be calling the round of layoffs, which will impact around 100 staff. CDPR says it is an “alignment of the scale and size of the team with the requirements of ongoing projects and the CD Projekt Group strategy”.
Affected Teams
These new layoffs will affect the individuals in the back-office, publishing, and development teams. It is expected to happen and conclude in the first quarter of 2024.
“The decision is related to the continuing transformation as part of which the CD Projekt Red studio has managed to – among others – incorporate agile methodologies, while reshaping development processes and optimizing working arrangements,” CDPR said in a statement.
“This change in approach, along with efforts to build more effective project teams, represents a continuation of an ongoing transformation which the Company regards as key to making top-quality games, published on schedule and developed without undue crunch.”
CDPR CEO Shares Statement
In an accompanying statement, CD Projekt CEO Adam Kiciński insists the company is currently “overstaffed”.
“We’ve carefully assessed all teams in the company in terms of their expected contribution to the delivery of our strategy,” Kiciński said. “There’s no easy way to say this, but today we are overstaffed. We have talented people on board who are finishing their tasks and — based on current and expected project needs — we already know we don’t have other opportunities for them in the next year.
“The outcome is the studio parting ways with around 100 people, which is roughly 9% of the entire team. This will not be immediate as some employees will be let go as late as Q1 2024 but, in the spirit of transparency, we’ve chosen to share the information now. We want team members to have ample time to process and adjust to the change, and we’ve also made sure to offer everyone a comprehensive severance package.
“Finally, I would like to address affected CDPR team members reading this message. Although our paths will diverge professionally, I believe the relationships we have built can remain strong. I encourage you to stay connected and would like to thank you for being an invaluable part of our journey. Your impact will resonate within CD Projekt Red and we wish you nothing but success and fulfillment in the next chapter of your professional lives.”
CDPR previously stated that it would lay off around 30 employees by the end of 2023 as the development of Gwent: The Witcher Card Game ended.