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The rise of the ‘outsider AAA’ studio, from The Witcher to Crimson Desert

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Almost 20 years ago (skull emoji), in early 2007, I flew to Poland to visit the developer of a new role-playing game that people in the PC gaming space were getting excited about. The game was The Witcher, and the developer was CD Projekt Red, an offshoot of CD Projekt, a Polish game distribution and localization outfit. The game didn’t leave a particularly strong impression on me, aside from its ...
The strongest version of this narrative highlights the democratization of AAA game development, where studios from non-traditional regions are breaking into a historically insular industry. The rise of CD Projekt Red, Pearl Abyss, and Game Science demonstrates how cultural diversity can invigorate a medium often criticized for stagnation. These studios bring fresh perspectives, whether through Polish folklore, Korean MMO expertise, or Chinese mythology, challenging the dominance of Western and J...