Project Sirius Faces Challenges Amid New Layoffs at The Molasses Flood

CD Projekt Red’s long-running multiplayer Witcher project, known as Project Sirius, faced another staffing setback in mid-August 2026. The studio laid off nine employees and invited nine more to seek internal roles on other projects. The moves were first reported by Kotaku and later confirmed by the company to outlets including IGN and Eurogamer.

The cuts reduced the Sirius team from 83 people as of April 30, 2026, to roughly 65. Four of those who left the company were based in the Boston office and five in Warsaw. CD Projekt said it adjusted the team size to match the project’s needs at this stage of development. There is no sign the project has been canceled.

Project Sirius was first announced in October 2022. It was pitched as a Witcher universe experience that would mix multiplayer elements with single-player content, aimed at both longtime fans and new players. Development started under The Molasses Flood, the Boston studio behind The Flame in the Flood and Drake Hollow. CD Projekt had bought the studio in 2021 and promised it would keep its own identity.

Trouble appeared early. In 2023 the company re-evaluated the project’s scope and commercial potential. It introduced a new framework, wrote off more than $7 million in earlier development costs, and restarted work. That round led to about 29 layoffs at The Molasses Flood, with 21 in the US and 8 in Poland.

In April 2025 The Molasses Flood was fully absorbed into CD Projekt Red and stopped operating as a separate company. The Sirius team continued under the parent studio. Some leadership, including co-founder Damian Isla, left around that time. The project has stayed in pre-production or early stages for years, with almost no public footage or deep details shared. One brighter moment came when former Destiny 2 narrative lead Kwan Perng joined as a lead writer.

As of early September 2026 investor updates, CD Projekt confirmed that Sirius is still active and remains in pre-production. Company leaders said the team is testing solutions and ideas for a multiplayer-focused game that differs from its other titles. This work involves a lot of learning and iteration. Resources continue to favor bigger projects such as The Witcher 4, which has hundreds of staff, and the next Cyberpunk game.

The August 2026 reductions mark the second major staffing change linked to Sirius. Nearly four years after the announcement, the project continues to face challenges. Industry watchers note that layoffs remain common across game studios even when major publishers report strong earnings. CD Projekt has stressed that the latest changes simply align the team with current needs. Sources close to the work described relatively steady progress in the months before the cuts.

No new details on a release window, specific gameplay features, or further changes have been shared. Project Sirius stays one of several early-stage or unrevealed efforts in CD Projekt Red’s pipeline, sitting alongside its main Witcher and Cyberpunk sequels.

For more on CD Projekt Red’s recent activities and game updates, see our coverage of Cyberpunk 2077 hitting Mac and the upcoming Halo Studios reveal at HWC 2025. These articles offer insights into the evolving gaming landscape influenced by major developers.