The Witcher and Cyberpunk 2077 veterans found new studio, Blank.
by Danny Craig
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Blank.
Former CD Projekt Red employees responsible for titles such as The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 have announced their new studio, Blank, with plans to work on a "character-driven story from an apocalypse."
The details:
- Former CD Projekt Red Design Director Mateusz Kanik, along with former Executive Producers Jędrzej Mróz and Marcin Jefimow, have announced the formation of Blank., a new studio comprised of many developers who previously worked alongside them at their former employer. Mikołaj Marchewka, the former CEO of Rookiez From Warsaw, joins the team as a co-founder and Managing Director.
- The studio aims to create "highly refined games that evoke emotion, emphasize storytelling, and showcase exquisite craftsmanship," according to its website, with its first title being an apocalyptic, character-driven game. There isn't much known about the project yet, but the developers promise "a twist or two.”
- In addition to Marchewka's role as Managing Director, Kavek will be the Game Director, and Mróz and Jefimow will be Executive Producers. The game's Narrative Director, Design Director, and Art Director will be Artur Ganszyniec, Michał Dobrowolski, and Grzegorz Przybyś, respectively. It's worth noting that both Ganszyniec and Dobrowolski were previously employed by CD Projekt.
- Although the studio is currently looking for senior staff members, including a new Technical Director, it is also hiring for those working in Warsaw or remotely. The few roles that are available can be found here.
Other recent studio openings:
- Virtuos has announced the establishment of a new studio in Warsaw, Poland, as a branch of Virtuos Labs. The graphics team will be led by rendering lead Peter Sikacheve, who has 12 years of experience in graphics programming and has previously worked on CD Projekt Red and Eidos Montreal games such as Cyberpunk 2077 and Shadow of the Tomb Raider.
- Control's former lead designer, Paul Ehreth, has founded Anchor Point, a new NetEase studio. There are no details about the studio's first project, but it is said to be "dedicated to developing action-adventure games for console and PC that push the boundaries of entertainment and bring elements of surprise into the gameplay."