Reflecting on Scale and Culture: Former Witcher 3 Director Opens Up About CD Projekt Red Departure
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
Former Witcher 3 game director Konrad Tomaszkiewicz reflects on his 2021 departure from CD Projekt Red, discussing studio growth, workplace culture, and the challenges of massive team scaling.
Konrad Tomaszkiewicz, the game director behind The Witcher 3 and secondary director on Cyberpunk 2077, is speaking out about his high-profile exit from CD Projekt Red in 2021. In a recent interview with Robert Purchese at Eurogamer, Tomaszkiewicz reflected on the workplace bullying allegations that clouded his departure, noting how difficult it is to reshape public perception once an accusation sticks. Although an extensive four-month external investigation ultimately cleared him of any formal charges, the shadow of that period has remained a lingering part of his professional narrative.
The conversation highlights a structural challenge facing many major studios as they rapidly scale up. Tomaszkiewicz pointed to the massive organizational growth that followed The Witcher 3, a project built by a relatively tight-knit crew of around 160 developers. By the time development on Cyberpunk 2077 ramped up, headcounts surged past 1,000 employees. For veterans accustomed to close collaboration, that kind of hyper-growth fundamentally alters the workplace dynamic, turning familiar teammates into anonymous faces and heightening the friction caused by intense production cycles and historical crunch culture.
For players and community members, stories like this offer a sobering look at the human cost behind blockbuster game development. While modern gaming discourse often focuses entirely on release dates, performance patches, and roadmap updates, the internal health of these massive studios directly impacts the creative output we enjoy on our screens. As the industry continues to grapple with sustainable studio management and player expectations, leadership styles and workplace culture are facing much-needed scrutiny from both developers and the community at large. You can read the full, in-depth feature over at Eurogamer.
Tags: CD Projekt Red, The Witcher 3, Cyberpunk 2077, Industry News, Game Development
Original article: Eurogamer