Making a massive role-playing game requires balancing financial investment with creative vision, but according to The Blood of Dawnwalker director Konrad Tomaszkiewicz, worrying about financial metrics upfront is a recipe for failure. In a recent interview, the co-founder of studio Rebel Wolves—and veteran CD Projekt Red director behind The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt—outlined a development philosophy that places fan reception far above copy-shifting goals.

Quick Facts

  • Game: The Blood of Dawnwalker
  • Developer: Rebel Wolves
  • Director: Konrad Tomaszkiewicz
  • Setting: 14th-century horror RPG
  • Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S/X (Releasing September 3, 2026)

Rejecting Millions as a Metric

Speaking with Radio Times, Tomaszkiewicz was blunt about how the studio measures success. "We don't want to measure our games in millions of sales," he stated. While acknowledging that funding is necessary to build future projects, he emphasized that the team's primary motivation is meeting creative and artistic challenges rather than hitting rigid financial targets.

Instead of sales charts, Tomaszkiewicz prefers to gauge the project's success through community reception and industry recognition. "I would prefer to measure the game in the opinions of fans, and the energy when they like the game. If possible, maybe some awards for us, which will be achievements for us as artists."

The Philosophy Behind Rebel Wolves' Debut

The Blood of Dawnwalker represents an ambitious debut for the studio. Set in a 14th-century horror framework, the high-concept narrative follows a half-human, half-vampire protagonist who has just 30 days to save his family. Staying smaller allows the developer to hone in on player agency rather than attempting to out-scale larger industry competitors.

Tomaszkiewicz maintains that commercial performance is a byproduct of quality rather than the starting point of design. "If you are thinking about sales as you create the game, when you try to make the game to match the sales, it will fail at the start," he warned. Having previously shipped The Witcher 3, the director leans on past experience in balancing team integrity with large-scale production as players prepare to see whether Rebel Wolves can deliver another hit.