CD Projekt Red has come into quite a bit of money to help it research several areas of video game development. The Polish government gave the developer the biggest portion of its 116 million PLN ($27 million USD) fund that was granted to it by the National Center for Research of Development, WCCFTech reports.
The Witcher developer had all four of its proposals approved, including an additional one that pertained to GOG.com and focused on the development of "cross-platform multiplayer gaming software for popular consoles and operating systems." The proposals revolved around city creation, seamless multiplayer, cinematic feel, and animation excellence. You can read more about each of CD Projekt Red's proposals further down this article.
The studio was awarded 30 million PLN ($7 million USD), and CD Projekt Red president Adam Kicinski released a statement that said, "Developing video games is a hyperinnovative activity, but also one which carries substantial financial risks, involves continuous R&D work, and requires much experimentation and prototyping along the way.
"The GameINN program—a fruit of our industry's collaborative efforts—will, in the coming years, enable Polish developers to carry out nearly 40 projects worth 191 million PLN," the statement continues. "I am confident that the resulting innovative solutions will further elevate the quality of Polish video games and enhance our competitiveness on the global stage. Indeed, our industry now has the potential to become the champion of the modern Polish economy."
We can get a pretty good look at each of the developer's proposals, thanks to the NCBR's official document. Open world RPGs are mentioned several times throughout, which could point to work that's being done for Cyberpunk 2077, another Witcher title, or a different game altogether. Of course, this is just conjecture; this research could end up unused by any title at all. You can see the four proposals, translated by WCCFTech, below.
City Creation
Comprehensive technology for the creation of "live," playable in real-time, cities of great scale based on the principles of artificial intelligence and automation and taking into account the development of innovative processes and tools supporting the creation of high-quality open world games.
Seamless Multiplayer
Comprehensive technology enables the creation of unique gameplay for many players, taking into account the search of opponents, session management, replication facilities, and support of a variety of game modes along with a unique set of dedicated tools.
Cinematic Feel
Comprehensive technology for providing a unique, film quality RPG with open world, also taking into account innovative solutions process and unique set of dedicated tools.
Animation Excellence
Comprehensive technology enabling a significant increase in quality and production of complex face and body animations for open world RPG games, also taking into account the innovative process solutions and a unique set of dedicated tools.
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Another studio awarded with funds is Dying Light developer Techland for a prototype of a first-person "action RPG set in an original fantasy world." Other funded studios include CI Games (Lords of the Fallen), The Farm 51 (Get Even), and Bloober Team (Layers of Fear). You can read more about their approved proposals on WCCFTech.