CD Projekt Red launches a new studio to support Cyberpunk 2077

At the start of 2017, former Techland COO Pawel Zawodny launched a new indie studio called Strange New Things, with a team assembled from other former Techland employees as well as ex-staffers from IO Interactive and CD Projekt Red. The goal at the time was to create "something that comes from 'us'," Zawodny said, although the exact nature of that "something" wasn't made clear: The "Project" section of the studio's website was more of a placeholder than anything else. 

But whatever that something was, it's apparently now off the table, and so for that matter is Strange New Things because CD Projekt announced today that it has acquired and re-christened the studio as CD Projekt Red Wrocław, to support the development of Cyberpunk 2077. 

"Aside from their immense technological knowledge and artistic flair, the core team of CD Projekt Red Wrocław are just great people," CD Projekt Red boss Adam Badowski said. "CD Projekt Red is not a typical game developer—we put gamers, creative freedom and quality games above making business. These guys not only share this approach, but, much like the rest of the team, think that this attitude is essential to creating epic videogames." 

Zadowny, who will head up the Wrocław studio, added, "We’re pretty hyped to be on the spearhead of this new office. We know Wrocław inside out and it’s an amazing place to make games. The team is strong, and I’m sure we have both the experience and the creative firepower to make Cyberpunk 2077 an even better game." 

Unfortunately, the announcement of the new studio does not come with any news about Cyberpunk 2077 itself. I remain vaguely hopeful that we'll see something about it at E3, but the Cyberpunk Twitter account hasn't made a sound since that solitary "beep" several months ago, and CD Projekt stony silence is as steadfast as ever. There is one way to get an inside track on what's going on, though: If you happen to live in Wrocław or don't mind moving, they're hiring. 

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Andy Chalk

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.