Konrad Tomaszkiewicz, former game director on The Witcher 3 and second game director on Cyberpunk 2077, has established a new game studio to develop what he hopes will be “the holy grail of computer RPGs”.
Tomaszkiewicz says he wants the new studio, Rebel Wolves, to experiment and think creatively to produce a debut title that is focused on narrative, but smaller than many other triple-A RPGs to maintain a coherent vision.
"We want to recreate the feeling of a pen-and-paper RPG session, where your options seem limitless, where the world reacts to your choices, where every decision matters," Tomaszkiewicz told GamesIndustry.biz about the studio’s debut game.
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Although specific details about the game are sparse, GamesIndustry.biz does report it will be a “dark fantasy RPG” and Tomaszkiewicz emphasized the studio’s focus on experimentation.
"We're proud of our past achievements, but we're hungry for more," Tomaszkiewicz told GamesIndustry.biz. "We want to experiment, push the envelope, discover new ways for telling stories in the video game medium. We felt that starting a new company, where we call all the shots, will give us the freedom to take the necessary risks to fulfil these ambitions."
Although Rebel Wolves encompasses several industry veterans who share experience across The Witcher series, Cyberpunk 2077, Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales, and Shadow Warrior 2, Tomaszkiewicz says he wanted to form a new studio outside of CD Projekt Red to create games that aren’t tied to existing IPs. He thinks that will allow the studio to better tailor the game to its needs and preferences.
Analysis: tough competition
Tomaszkiewicz and his team might boast an impressive portfolio of past work, but any new fantasy RPG will have a tough time carving out a space for itself. The Witcher 3 set a high bar for narratively-driven fantasy RPGs back in 2015, and Baldur’s Gate 3 has taken player choice to new levels through its impressive emergent gameplay.
Although details on Rebel Wolves’ upcoming debut remain sparse, contemporary competition in the RPG space, as well as the developers’ past credits, will add heaps of pressure on the team. Let’s hope Tomaszkiewicz doesn’t draw on his Cyberpunk 2077 experience too much to promise features that ultimately aren’t delivered upon.
Tomaszkiewicz left CD Projekt Red last year after 17 years at the developer following allegations against him of workplace bullying. He denied the allegations at the time, and an internal months-long investigation within CD Projekt Red also found he wasn’t guilty of the claims made against him.
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