CD Projekt's stalled The Witcher spin-off now has a "new framework"

Following suggestions in March that CD Projekt's The Witcher spin-off Project Sirius had been rebooted from scratch, the studio has confirmed its development is back on track, with "work on defining a new framework" now complete.

Project Sirius - a part-solo, part-multiplayer experience being developed by The Flame and the Flood studio Molasses Flood - was announced last October as part of CD Projekt's ambitious studio roadmap, which included a Cyberpunk 2077 sequel, a new IP, the next Witcher trilogy, and a remake of the first Witcher game.

However, March brought the news work on Project Sirius had stalled after CD Projekt had re-evaluated the "scope and commercial potential of the original concept". At the time, the company told investors it was in the process of "formulating a new framework" for the game that was better "aligned with [its] strategy".

"It's better to cut costs early," CD Projekt's chief financial officer Piotr Nielubowicz added in a subsequent financial earnings call, "and even restart if needed, than to carry on."

The news was accompanied by confirmation CD Projekt intended to write-off funds allocated for Project Sirius, but the company has now released a fresh regulatory announcement detailing a partial reversal of its impairment allowance for 2022 and a write-off of part of the development expenditures it incurred in Q1 2023.

Both of these are said to be connected to the "conclusion of work on defining a new framework for Project Sirius", suggesting CD Projekt's previous concerns with the game have now been resolved. Boston-based studio The Molasses Flood, which the company acquired in October 2021, is still attached to its development.

CD Projekt's next release will be its Cyberpunk 2077 expansion, Phantom Liberty, which is due to be detailed more thoroughly some time in June.