(Reuters) – Polish video game maker CD Projekt has taken back in-house and postponed indefinitely the release of its blockbuster game “The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt” for next-generation consoles.
The version, which was originally scheduled to launch late last year and was then delayed to second quarter of 2022, was outsourced to Saber Interactive, part of Sweden’s Embracer Group.
CD Projekt did not give a reason for the move. The Polish company and Embracer were not immediately available for comment.
“We are currently evaluating the scope of work to be done and thus have to postpone Q2 release until further notice,” the Polish company said late on Wednesday on Twitter.
Jefferies analyst Ken Rumph wrote in a note that while the financial impact of the delay may be small, given it was a free upgrade for existing game owners, a second delay and in-housing came as a surprise.
“The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt” premiered in 2015 to critical acclaim and helped the Polish studio gain worldwide recognition. It sold over 30 million copies, CD Projekt said last year.
CD Projekt since has had a rocky time after the troubled roll out of its second franchise, “Cyberpunk 2077”, in late 2020.
In a bid to rebuild investor confidence, CD Projekt has been working to transform its studio so it can start producing high-budget games in parallel from 2022.
It released Cyberpunk version for next-generation consoles in February.
The company is due to publish its full-year results later on Thursday.
(Reporting by Anna Pruchnicka, additional reporting by Supantha Mukherjee; Editing by Tomasz Janowski)
