CD Projekt RED launches new volunteer playtesting program

The Cyberpunk and Witcher developer has announced a new playtesting program across their studios to aid in development, but participants will not be compensated.

The details:

• Following the rocky launches of their most recent titles, Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher 3 Remastered, CDPR has opened up the RED Playtesting Program for future projects. The playtests will take place mostly in their Warsaw studio, with tests in Vancouver and Boston occasionally being hosted. CDPR also stated that it is "continuously exploring new ways of testing," so players can still sign up to see if CDPR holds playtests in their area.
• Participants in the playtests will be required to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) as they will be playing versions of games still in development. According to the FAQ page, this includes "screen and audio recordings, fragments of text, or still shots from the game.”
• The major drawback with the program, however, stems from the lack of payment for the testing, as CDPR doesn’t classify the program as any form of employment. In fact, those who wish to participate in a test will not even have any of their commuter costs reimbursed by the studio, meaning the program is entirely voluntary and will likely cost the player.

What else is happening at CDPR?

• Conversely, Cyberpunk’s upcoming DLC, Phantom Liberty, will reportedly have the biggest budget of any prior CDPR expansion. The new "spy-thriller" expansion will feature the returning Keanu Reeves and newcomer Idris Elba, so it’s not surprising that the budget has reached such a level.
• A lawsuit regarding Cyberpunk’s disastrous launch has finally been settled for $1.85 million after investors claimed the game was "virtually unplayable" on consoles. A consultant estimated that the investors could have suffered losses of up to $11 million due to the backlash.