CD Projekt RED may not have the rich history and longevity of other developers on this list, but the AAA indie's ethos is one that should be used as a benchmark for the entire industry. The only games on CD Projekt RED's resume so far are the excellent Witcher series, with the massive improvements between each of the successive games suggesting that they are a developer that listens to fans, learns from their past mistakes, and are determined to make their games seminal in terms of design and storytelling; The fact that The Witcher 3 looks set to be most peoples' choice for Game of the Year is evidence that they've successfully implemented all these things. We've got good reason to be excited about what's coming up from CD Projekt RED - namely the futuristic RPG, Cyberpunk 2077 - but the company's liberal stances on digital rights management (DRM) and downloadable content also deserve praise. CD Projekt are opposed to DRM, and are one of the few AAA developers to sell the PC version of the game on the DRM-free digital games distributor, GOG.com. That essentially means you can own it without Draconian restrictions on installing it on other machines, licensing it to a digital account, and so on. CD Projekt are also adamant that games should be bolstered by free DLC for months after release, and followed through with this after releasing The Witcher 3, adding plenty of free items, quests and other perks into the game. Now that is how gamers should be treated.
Gamer, Researcher of strange things.
I'm a writer-editor hybrid whose writings on video games, technology and movies can be found across the internet. I've even ventured into the realm of current affairs on occasion but, unable to face reality, have retreated into expatiating on things on screens instead.
