The Blood of Dawnwalker, a new game developed by former CD Projekt Red (CDPR) staff, has sparked comparisons to The Witcher 4, particularly after the release of its debut trailer. Online discussions have erupted, pitting the two titles against each other in a speculative battle for success. However, developers from both teams have actively refuted these comparisons, emphasizing a collaborative, rather than competitive, relationship.
One X user aptly summarized the sentiment: "Dawnwalker looks amazing, just like The Witcher 4. Both works can exist together. One game doesn't mean the other is dead. It's not a competition. Let's show respect."
This sentiment was echoed by Patrick K. Mills, a veteran who contributed to missions in The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077. He stated, "Anyone who tries to compare these games is doing the devil's work. The teams have a long history together, we hang out together, we play games together, our group chats are full of praise for each team. There's nothing but love here. The culture war will remain a culture war, but these games share a common origin and common values."
Philippe Weber, narrative director for The Witcher 4, further clarified the similarities, noting that the stylistic choices in both trailers, such as the "eyes in the dark" effect, were even inspired by the same source: the TV series Midnight Mass. He added, "Mateusz Tomaszkiewicz and I were joking today about how the eyes in the dark in our two trailers were used as references to the TV series Midnight Mass to sell the idea early on. Many of the creators of the two games are friends, and we love seeing our friends succeed!"
Rebel Wolves, the studio behind The Blood of Dawnwalker, aims to establish a new, competitive game franchise. Initial reactions to the trailer suggest The Blood of Dawnwalker has the potential to rival CDPR's acclaimed titles.