A recent interview with Mateusz Tomaszkiewicz, former lead quest designer of The Witcher 3, sheds light on CD Projekt Red's initial concerns about marrying a grand narrative with an open-world design.
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Tomaszkiewicz noted the bold ambition of blending expansive storytelling, typically found in linear RPGs like The Witcher 2, into an open-world setting. He highlighted the rarity of such an undertaking in game development.
CD Projekt Red initially feared a potential conflict between the story's scale and the open-world structure. However, the team persevered, resulting in the critically acclaimed The Witcher 3.
Now leading Rebel Wolves, Tomaszkiewicz is helming The Blood of Dawnwalker, a dark fantasy RPG set in an alternate medieval Eastern Europe, featuring vampires as central figures. Currently in development for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, The Blood of Dawnwalker is slated for a gameplay reveal this summer, though a release date remains unannounced.