The news out of CD Projekt Red’s latest earnings call gives us a fascinating peek behind the curtain of where RPG fans are actually spending their gold. While we often think of The Witcher as a PC-centric franchise and Cyberpunk 2077 as the high-end hardware darling, the actual sales data tells a more nuanced story of platform loyalty and the staying power of the Nintendo Switch.
It’s not all big surprises, I think you can see the lines being drawn that you would expect. Between games and platforms. But, the real testament is just how long these games live on for.
Having played through The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 and started multiple play-throughs, I am absolutely part of the core demographic. But the games are just so good, they deserve your time and attention, and will get it from us here at Dying Art Media.
Here is the breakdown of how the sales split for CDPR’s biggest hits.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – The Immortal Hybrid
Even years after its initial launch, The Witcher 3 continues to be a juggernaut. What’s most interesting here is the platform distribution.
While PC remains the dominant force (unsurprisingly, given the modding community and high-end graphical updates), the Nintendo Switch version—affectionately dubbed the “Switch-er” by fans—continues to hold a respectable chunk of the pie.
- PC: 50%
- PlayStation: 26%
- Xbox: 14%
- Nintendo Switch: 10%
A 10% share for the Switch might seem small at a glance, but considering the technical wizardry required to get that game running on a handheld, it’s a testament to the demand for Witcher on the go. It proves that for many, portability trumps 4K textures.
Personally playing on Switch and Steam Deck has made the adventure more accessible than ever, and the wizardy to make it work deserves all the praise possible. CD Projekt Red have been commited to their game post-launch, for sure.
Cyberpunk 2077 – The Redemption Arc
The story of Cyberpunk 2077 is one of the great comeback tales in gaming history. After a disastrous launch on last-gen consoles, the Phantom Liberty expansion and the 2.0 update have solidified its place as a must-play.
The sales breakdown here shows a massive lean toward PC and the current-gen powerhouses.
- PC: 52%
- PlayStation: 28%
- Xbox: 20%
With over half of the sales on PC, it’s clear that Night City is still the premier destination for those looking to push their GPUs to the limit.
Interestingly, the Xbox share is significantly higher here (20%) than it is for The Witcher 3 (14%), likely bolstered by the strong performance of the Series X version and the game’s presence in digital sales.
With the game now available on Switch 2, as well. It looks like the life extension will continue. It’ll be interesting to see what share of the pie Nintendo end up taking. With all the other handheld options these days, it feels like it might not be quite so big as with The Witcher 3. But you never know.
Impressive stuff
What we’re seeing here is the CD Projekt Red Effect. Their games have incredibly long tails; they don’t just sell at launch, they sell for a decade.
For the us, the takeaway is clear: the PC remains the home of the definitive CD Projekt Red experience, but the Switch holding its own with The Witcher 3 suggests that the Switch 2 could be a massive opportunity for CDPR to port Cyberpunk to a handheld audience.
Time will tell, and I genuinely would be surprised if we’re talking about sales figures for The Witcher 3 after a 20 year period. Whether CD Projekt Red decide to keep porting it, is a different story. Particularly with The Witcher IV on the horizon.
Let’s see how things go, I guess?
