CD Projekt warns of layoffs as The Witcher: Monster Slayer is being closed in 2023

CD Projekt has introduced that The Witcher: Monster Slayer, the Pokémon Go-like game of monster searching that debuted final yr, is being shut down. Anybody nonetheless taking part in has acquired a while but to stroll the Path earlier than the top comes, although, because the closure will not really occur till June 30, 2023.

“We’re proud that we had been in a position to create a location-based AR expertise that captured what it was prefer to be a witcher in actual life and gave the neighborhood an opportunity to battle Witcher-world monsters up shut and in individual,” the event crew stated within the shutdown announcement. “That is what made The Witcher: Monster Slayer such a singular expertise in The Witcher franchise.

“We’re very grateful for sharing all of this with such a tremendous and passionate neighborhood from everywhere in the world. This journey, crammed with quests, occasions, and journey, wouldn’t have been attainable with out you—collectively, we defeated over 100 million monsters worldwide, in spite of everything!”

The Witcher: Monster Slayer will stay on the App Retailer and Google Play till January 31, 2023, however no additional content material, together with new monsters, armor, quests, timed and day by day duties or occasions, will probably be added. Actual-money transactions within the in-game store will probably be disabled, however gamers will nonetheless have the ability to buy gadgets utilizing no matter in-game foreign money they nonetheless have kicking round. On June 30, 2023, all the things goes offline for good.

Monster Slayer regarded probably fascinating after we acquired our first take a look at it final yr, however in the end did not ship on its promise. Senior editor Wes Fenlon described it as “boring and disappointing” after spending a while roaming round with it shortly after launch: “Mainly, Monster Slayer takes a number of issues I like from The Witcher 3 and places them in a game that I’ve little interest in really taking part in,” he wrote. Others apparently felt the identical approach, as CD Projekt stated the game “didn’t attain” its enterprise expectations.

The Witcher: Monster Slayer would be the second CD Projekt game to be closed in 2023: The studio introduced yesterday that the Witcher-based CCG Gwent will even finish growth on the finish of 2023, though CD Projekt hopes that the neighborhood will take over and preserve the wheels turning.

As for Monster Slayer developer Spokko, which CD Projekt acquired in 2018, it too is being shuttered. CD Projekt stated some Spokko staff will probably be supplied positions elsewhere within the firm, however added that “there will probably be some workers members who will, sadly, be let go.” It didn’t specify what number of staff will probably be laid off because of the studio closure.