CD Projekt Red is quietly moving forward with development on its original IP, Project Hadar. A recently discovered job posting reveals new details about the upcoming game, suggesting it will focus heavily on melee combat systems.
The job ad, posted on the official careers page and spotted by Tech4Gamers, is for a Senior Gameplay Designer. It specifically mentions that the candidate should have at least five years of experience working on RPG or action games that include melee-oriented combat. This points to a clear direction for the gameplay design, where close-range encounters may be a central part of the player’s experience.
In addition to combat experience, the listing notes familiarity with Unreal Engine 4 and 5, confirming once again that CD Projekt Red is now fully invested in Epic Games’ engine technology for its future projects. This shift from the studio’s REDengine, which powered The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077, was announced earlier as part of the company’s roadmap to streamline its technology stack across multiple titles.
Project Hadar remains largely under wraps, with no trailers, concept art, or story information officially revealed. What sets it apart from other projects is its status as CD Projekt Red’s first entirely original IP. Unlike The Witcher or Cyberpunk, which are based on established source material, Hadar is being developed from the ground up with a new universe and characters.
The studio has several other projects in the pipeline. These include Project Orion, the next game in the Cyberpunk universe, and The Witcher Polaris, which is expected to focus on Ciri and feature a new approach designed around modern console hardware. A tech demo for the upcoming Witcher game was recently shown, demonstrating graphical improvements but offering few gameplay details.
The new job listing suggests that Project Hadar is likely moving from early concept stages into full development. As more positions are filled and internal work progresses, additional information about the game’s mechanics and setting may become available.
For now, fans of CD Projekt Red’s work can only wait to see how the studio’s first original franchise takes shape.
