Karolina Stachyra Returns to CD Projekt Red Amid Witcher 4

Karolina Stachyra has returned to CD Projekt Red as a full-time writer. She rejoined the studio in August 2024 after working as a freelance consultant since February, though the company has not confirmed which project she is now assigned to.

Her LinkedIn profile details the transition. Stachyra stepped into her role as an expert writer this past summer. CD Projekt confirmed her return but declined to comment on her current assignment.

Background

Stachyra previously worked at CD Projekt Red as a senior writer on The Witcher 3 from 2012 to 2016. She helped shape the game's main storyline and designed some of its most celebrated quests.

Her most famous contribution is the 'Family Matters' quest. It features the deeply tragic Bloody Baron and deals with Ciri, whom the Baron treated as a surrogate daughter. A 2015 review noted the quest "takes very real, important subjects-alcoholism and domestic abuse-and deals with them in a brutal, heartbreaking, and honest way." The same review praised it as "superbly written, brilliantly acted, and the branching paths make it well worth replaying."

Stachyra also created a significant portion of expansion content, including the Dead Man's Party quest. Her return marks her first full-time position at the studio in about a decade, following work at other developers like Techland and GSC Game World.

Relevance

Her return is particularly notable as The Witcher 4 advances in development. That sequel, which will feature Ciri as the lead character, reignites interest in the studio's narrative talent. The Witcher 3 was released over a decade ago, raising expectations for the depth of storytelling in the new installment.

Studio Moves

Stachyra's hiring is part of a broader recruitment drive at CD Projekt Red. In May, the studio welcomed senior Kingdom Come: Deliverance designer and writer Zdeněk Glatz. Before that, it brought on other Warhorse Studios veterans, an ex-Baldur's Gate 3 developer, and a former Mass Effect lead.

Over 220 new developers have joined the company in total. These hires are spread across multiple projects. Cyberpunk 2 is in development, while other new titles remain shrouded in mystery. There is a small chance Stachyra could be contributing to projects like The Witcher 3 Remastered or Songs of the Past.

For now, CD Projekt Red has not disclosed what project Karolina Stachyra is working on. Her involvement in The Witcher 4 remains uncertain.