CD Projekt reports a 37% increase in half-year earnings

Maintaining the game catalog selling steadily years after launch and diversifying brand exploration into new formats is a remarkable financial achievement that provides stability for developing future projects. CD Projekt RED concluded the first half of 2026 with a net profit of 249 million zlotys, marking a growth of 37% compared to the same period the previous year and surpassing the financial expectations of the market. The company's revenue increased by 23%, significantly driven by the results of the second quarter, where the net margin closed the semester at 57.2%.

Besides the financial balance, the company confirmed the release of the remaster of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt for September 29, covering the PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and debuting a native version for Nintendo Switch 2.

Those who already own the original title will receive the free upgrade with the expansions Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine included. In a novel distribution initiative, the updated edition and its additional content will also be available on Blizzard's Battle.net store.

The standout in the presented reports was the growth in the brand licensing segment. The revenue from intellectual property exploitation by third parties jumped from 9.4 million zlotys in the first half of 2025 to 94.8 million zlotys in the same period this year, reaching a volume almost ten times higher. CFO Piotr Nielubowicz emphasized that licensing is becoming increasingly relevant in the overall revenue, proving the reach of the developer's brands beyond the console and computer ecosystem.

In terms of accumulated sales volume, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt has surpassed the milestone of 65 million copies sold, bringing the entire franchise to over 90 million units.

On the other hand, Cyberpunk 2077 crossed the 40 million units sold mark, while the Phantom Liberty expansion reached 15 million copies in less than three years on the market.

Co-CEO Michał Nowakowski explained that the sustained revenue of Cyberpunk 2077 almost six years after its debut stems from ongoing support, new hardware versions like the edition for PS5 Pro, appearances in crossovers like Wuthering Waves and Apex Legends, and the production of the second season of the animated series Cyberpunk: Edgerunners on Netflix in partnership with TRIGGER studio, as well as the Kickstarter campaign for the card game which raised over $28 million.

The planned roadmap of CD Projekt RED anticipates the release of at least one major product related to the witcher's universe each year until the arrival of the next main chapter of the saga.

During gamescom, the studio showcased a video preview of The Witcher 3: Songs of the Past, the third expansion of the title developed in collaboration with Fool’s Theory. The content will depict the final stage of Geralt of Rivia's journey before Ciri takes the lead in The Witcher 4. The promotional material reached 26 million accumulated views and logged over 900 thousand additions to wishlists.

The release schedule sets the DLC Songs of the Past for 2027, laying the groundwork for the debut of The Witcher 4 in 2028.

The ability to monetize established franchises through story expansions and parallel animations is a brilliant strategy by CD Projekt RED to ensure the studio's independence without rushing productions. Nevertheless, relying on re-releases and expansions of a 2015 title to fill the annual calendar until 2028 reveals the studio's extremely slow pace in delivering new sequels, extending consumer wait times for years on end.