Witcher 3 Director’s New Studio Receives NetEase Investment

In early 2022, the new Polish team Rebel Wolves was formed. Headed by The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt‘s Director, Konrad Tomaszkiewicz, as the companies new CEO, and joined by Bartłomiej Gaweł (The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt‘s Art Director), Daniel Sadowsk (The Witcher), Tamara Zawada (The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt‘s Animation Director), CFO Michał Boryka, and studio head Robert Murzynowski, Rebel Wolves have been promising big things, but now the studio has unlocked a huge advantage that will leave the development of their first game.

The developer’s AAA dark fantasy title built with Unreal 5 engine has received a huge financial boost, with Chinese corporation, NetEase making a strategic investment in the studios’ first game, a PC and console title that will supposedly act as the first chapter in a larger saga. As a result of the investment, NetEase has now become a minority shareholder in Rebel Wolves, allowing the studio to retain full creative control of their new, in development franchise.

Speaking about the investment, Rebel Wolves’ Tomaszkiewicz said, “Having one of the leading global game companies get behind our vision is a great confidence boost and validation for the entire team at Rebel Wolves. Funding provided by NetEase was the last missing piece needed to go full throttle. With resources available to build a world-class AAA game, we can now focus on what matters most: development.

When it was formed, and the studio announced, a statement from Rebel Wolves declared,

Driven by the desire to build a passionate team dedicated to creating vibrant virtual worlds, filled to the brim with powerful emotions and unique experiences, Konrad envisioned a new studio with a united goal of doing things differently while also putting the team first at all times

Tomaszkiewicz, who left CD Projekt Red in 2021 amid reports of workplace bullying (which he has denied), also said at the time,

For all of us here at Rebel Wolves, video games were always something we felt destined to do—something ingrained in our DNA. Personally, I couldn’t be happier to have banded together with friends who share this passion. We’re developing a video game we’d like to play in a way that games should be made. We want to evolve the CRPG genre by creating unforgettable stories and stirring deep emotions, all while working as a tightly knit team united by a shared goal and ambition.

Collectively, we envision Rebel Wolves as a place where experienced game developers can reignite their passion, where they can focus on their craft and pour their love into an amazing, ambitious title. We want to stay small and agile—a place where people know and care for each other.

Rebel Wolves’ first game is slated to arrive on consoles and PC at an undetermined time.

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