How CD Projekt’s Past Documentation Failures Are Shaping a Smarter Future for The Witcher 4 and Cyberpunk 2

Introduction

Behind the dazzling visuals and high-profile cast announcements for The Witcher 4 and Cyberpunk 2 lies a less glamorous but arguably more transformative change: a complete overhaul of how CD Projekt Red manages its internal development notes. For decades, the studio’s ambitious projects were haunted by incomplete, outdated, or simply lost documentation—a problem that cost the team time, money, and creative momentum. Now, as the Polish developer prepares for its next generation of blockbusters, it is determined to build a much stronger documentary foundation that will benefit not only these two titles but also every Witcher and Cyberpunk game that follows.

The Cost of Chaos: Lessons from Two Decades of Documentation Mistakes

In a revealing presentation at this year’s Digital Dragons conference in Kraków, technical writer team lead Jarosław Ruciński and senior technical writer Adrian Fulneczek laid out a sobering history of documentation failures at CD Projekt. “It was chaos,” Ruciński recalled, describing the aftermath of key lorekeepers leaving the company and essential internal tools being shelved due to budget cuts. These gaps didn’t just cause confusion—they actively sabotaged development on multiple fronts.

The Phantom Liberty Debacle

When the team began work on Cyberpunk 2077’s Phantom Liberty expansion, they discovered that crucial design documents from the original game had been lost or rendered unusable. “We had to reverse-engineer entire systems,” Fulneczek explained, noting that the lack of up-to-date narrative bibles forced writers to re-interpret story threads meant to be woven together seamlessly. The result was months of redundant work and a final product that, while critically acclaimed, could have been delivered faster with proper documentation.

The Witcher Remake’s Hidden Hurdles

Similarly, the forthcoming Witcher remake at Fool’s Theory (in collaboration with CD Projekt) ran into roadblocks because core design notes from the original trilogy were scattered across disconnected folders, obsolete tools, and the memories of former employees. Without a centralized, regularly updated repository, even simple decisions—like determining a character’s canonical motivation—sparked lengthy debates. According to Ruciński, “We spent more time researching what we had already decided than actually creating new content.”

A New Production Process: Documentation That Lives

To break this cycle, CD Projekt has introduced a rigorous new production process for The Witcher 4 and Cyberpunk 2. The core principle is simple but transformative: every developer is now obligated to keep their internal notes current from milestone to milestone. Whether it’s a narrative bible, a tool guide, or a folder of concept sketches, no piece of documentation is allowed to fall behind.

Milestone-Based Updates

Instead of waiting for the end of a development phase to catalog work, teams now hold brief “documentation check-ins” at each milestone. This ensures that when the project transitions to a new phase—say, from pre-production to full production—everyone has access to the same, accurate information. “We treat documentation as a living asset,” Fulneczek says. “It breathes with the project.”

Role of a Dedicated Technical Writing Team

Under Ruciński’s leadership, the technical writing team has grown from a handful of people to a dedicated unit embedded in each major development pillar. They don’t just write guides; they design templates, set standards for completeness, and even conduct audits to catch gaps early. The team also maintains a shared glossary and a “decision log” that records why certain creative or technical choices were made—saving future developers from repeating past debates.

A Stronger Foundation for Every Sequel to Come

The benefits of this new discipline extend far beyond the current projects. By creating a well-organized, version-controlled documentation ecosystem, CD Projekt is laying the groundwork for a sustainable franchise future. When the time comes for The Witcher 5 or a third mainline Cyberpunk game, developers will inherit a treasure trove of clear, contextualized knowledge rather than a jumble of obsolete files.

Breaking the “Tribal Knowledge” Trap

One of the biggest risks in large studios is reliance on tribal knowledge—information that exists only in the heads of a few experienced team members. When those people leave (as many did after Cyberpunk 2077’s launch), that knowledge vanishes. The new process forces knowledge to be externalized in a structured way, reducing the company’s vulnerability to turnover. “We’re building institutional memory, not just project folders,” Ruciński emphasizes.

Unlocking Better Collaboration with External Partners

Better documentation also eases collaboration with external studios like Fool’s Theory. With a clear, always-up-to-date narrative bible and tech spec, outside teams can jump into production without weeks of guesswork. This has already reduced onboarding time for the Witcher remake by an estimated 40%, according internal metrics shared at the presentation.

Conclusion: From Chaos to Clarity

Game development will never be perfectly tidy, but CD Projekt’s commitment to solving its documentation problem shows a mature studio learning from its own history. The flashy Unreal Engine 5 demos and casting rumors may grab headlines, but it is this behind-the-scenes overhaul that will ensure The Witcher 4 and Cyberpunk 2 are built on a rock-solid foundation. As Fulneczek put it, “We used to rely on luck. Now we rely on process.” For fans awaiting the next adventures in these beloved worlds, that shift from chaos to clarity is perhaps the most promising upgrade of all.