The Witcher, Cyberpunk veterans form new studio, Dark Passenger, for Feudal Japan action game

Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher 3 are massive games, selling 18 million and 40 million copies, respectively. With a pedigree like that, it’s exciting when members of developer CD Projekt Red splinter off to start new projects. One such example is the new game studio Dark Passenger.

Based in Warsaw, Poland, Dark Passenger has a team consisting of Cyberpunk and Witcher veterans, as well as new talent. This group was previously known as RealTime Warriors, an experienced CGI studio. “Our long-term support of the game industry inevitably led us to production of our own, original project, which is currently in its first production stage,” the Dark Passenger website reads.

Even if it’s in its early stages, we still have a good bit of info about this first project. The online multiplayer game is being built on Unreal Engine 5, with both competitive PvP and cooperative PvE content. There will also be some level of randomness to these online encounters. “In order to make every game unique and surprising, we’re using advanced, procedural solutions,” the description says. “While the goal will be the same for all players, every time achieving it will require a different approach, tactics, and taken routes.”

The game itself is set in Feudal Japan, with loyal shinobi, usurpers, and assassins all clashing. “We’re building a captivating, dark world full of mysteries, extraordinary characters, and tense conflicts that are consuming the Land of the Cherry Blossom,” Dark Passenger teases. Players will wield a variety of weapons, from katanas to shurikens to kunai, for both short- and long-range combat. Players will be able to customize these weapons and train with friends in a private dojo. Dark Passenger also talks up the “locomotion” of the game, saying that players will be able to pull off feats like running on arrows in the air and pole-jumping over obstacles.

Dark Passenger’s game sounds quite promising, though it currently has no name or release date — that’s understandable since it’s in the early stages. It has, however, been announced for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. We expect the same platforms for The Witcher 4, which is currently in pre-production.