Ex-CD Projekt Red vets founded Blank. to trade open worlds for emotion-first games

A game studio founded by former CD Projekt Red developers, working on an as-yet-unnamed character-driven story set in an apocalypse 'with a twist or two'.

Players want 'novel territory rather than well-trodden ground': smaller, character-driven games built on uniqueness, emotion and refinement beat another open world.

Mateusz Kanik, who worked at CD Projekt Red — the Cyberpunk 2077 developer — for 15 years, co-founded Blank. with other former CDPR developers, announced in May 2023.

The studio said in its announcement that it is 'committed to bringing beautifully crafted games and unique experiences to players, favoring novel territory rather than well-trodden ground', and described its unnamed first project: 'a character driven story from an apocalypse — with a twist or two.'

The founders' 15-year AAA pedigree makes the anti-open-world stance credible, not naive.

'A twist or two' on an apocalypse promises novelty in a well-trodden genre.

It rides a wave of ex-CDPR studios — Rebel Wolves, Dark Passenger — trading reputation for autonomy.

Smaller scope targets uniqueness, emotions, quality and refinement: the things bloat crowds out.

After a decade of AAA bloat, the credible counter-bet comes from insiders: ex-open-world veterans claiming the scarce resources are focus and feeling, not scale.

As of the May 2023 announcement the project was unnamed and the team was expanding; no release window or publisher was disclosed.