Witcher developer laying off 30 staff as card game Gwent switches to community-run model

The Witcher developer CD Projekt Red will lay off around 30 employees, as development on its card game spin-off Gwent winds down.

In a recent blog post, the developer reaffirmed its plan to place Gwent's future into the hands of its community.

"The community has always been core to making the game what it is. That's why we had the confidence to move ahead with GWENTfinity in the first place: there isn't really anyone better to take charge of Gwent and see it move into a new era than you," CDPR wrote.

The company said it is a "privilege" to have such a passionate community behind its game, stating when Gwent switches hands it will feel like a "watershed moment".

However, as a result of this change, CDPR will have to lay off around 30 members of its staff. "Moments like this are always bittersweet," the studio said, noting that other members from the Gwent team had been moved to different projects.

That leaves "about 30 remaining Gwent team members" who will depart the developer by the end of 2023.

"It's never easy to say goodbye. And even though decisions like this are unavoidable and a natural result of the transition, we'd like to express our sincere thanks for all the contributions these team members have made to Gwent," CDPR wrote in its post.

"Just like the community, you helped make the game what it is today."

This is the latest round of CD Projekt layoffs. Back in March, the developer announced its intention to write-off funds allotted to its spin-off Project Sirius.

At this time, it stated it had re-evaluated the "scope and commercial potential of the original concept" and was now "formulating a new framework" better "aligned with the [company's] strategy".

In the time since this restructuring, the team at The Molasses Flood has cut in size, with CD Projekt explaining, "because [Project Sirius] changed, so has the composition of the team that's working on it - mainly on The Molasses Flood's side".

A total of 29 employees lost their jobs as a result of that decision - 21 in the US and another eight in Poland.