There’s an ongoing acquisition war in the gaming industry, with the most recent deal closing being the Microsoft-Activision acquisition. Many have been speculating who may be next, with some suggesting that CD Projekt Red, the studio behind The Witcher and Cyberpunk games, is among those potentially being bought out. While it may be a name being thrown around that both Microsoft and Sony are interested in, it certainly isn’t something that CD Projekt Red themselves are considering, as the studio confirmed that they have no interest in joining a larger entity.
Speaking in an interview with the Polish publication Parkiet, CD Projekt Red’s CEO, Adam Kiciński, took to address some online rumors, putting to rest that they may be selling to a larger company.
“These are just rumors. We have always had a clear position, supported by the regulations included in the statute (aimed at preventing a hostile takeover – ed.). We are not interested in being included in any larger entity. We have worked our whole lives to get to the position we have now. And we believe that in a few years we will be even bigger and stronger. We have ambitious plans and we are passionate about what we do. We value independence.”
When asked if the studio would continue to make their own acquisition, Adam did note that they were open to it, but have no plans at this time.
“We do not plan any acquisitions at this time. Of course, we are open to ideas that could accelerate the implementation of our strategy. But we are not interested in purchases that would only aim to include the acquired companies in our group and consolidate their financial results. We don’t see the value in it.”
That’s not surprising considering the success they’ve had with The Witcher franchise, and recently Cyberpunk 2077 and the Phantom Liberty Expansion. This puts to rest any rumors of a buyout, even if Microsoft and Sony may be considering it internally.
That’s not to say it will never happen, as we’ve seen many studios share the same stance, only to be sold decades later. But for now, at least, CD Projekt Red will continue to be a studio that works for themselves.