Konrad Tomaszkiewicz says sales should not drive game design for The Blood of Dawnwalker

Konrad Tomaszkiewicz Rebel Wolves The Blood of Dawnwalker sales philosophy fan feedback

Konrad Tomaszkiewicz, former director of The Witcher 3 and co‑founder of the Polish studio Rebel Wolves, explained that focusing on sales during development is the quickest way for a game to fail. In an interview he said the studio will measure success by fan reactions, critical reviews and awards rather than by millions of copies sold.

Rebel Wolves’ debut title, The Blood of Dawnwalker, is a dark‑fantasy RPG set in the 14th century. Players control a half‑human, half‑vampire protagonist who has only 30 days to rescue their family. The game is scheduled for release on 3 September 2026 on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.

The team also highlighted a design philosophy that avoids filler content; Mateusz Tomaszkiewicz, the studio’s creative director, called it a personal vendetta. Narrative director Jakub Szamalek noted the game draws on Eastern‑European history and folklore for its themes.

Entities: CD Projekt RED · Jakub Szamalek · Konrad Tomaszkiewicz · Mateusz Tomaszkiewicz · Rebel Wolves · The Blood of Dawnwalker

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[● 6 SOURCES] Konrad Tomaszkiewicz co‑founded the Rebel Wolves studio. (Rebel Wolves)
[● 3 SOURCES] Tomaszkiewicz said Rebel Wolves does not measure success by millions of sales.
[○ 1 SOURCE] Rebel Wolves aims for fan feedback and awards as primary success metrics.
[○ 1 SOURCE] The Blood of Dawnwalker will launch on 3 September for PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. (Rebel Wolves)
[● 3 SOURCES] He stated that artistic and creative needs are prioritized over commercial goals.
[● 5 SOURCES] The game features a half‑human, half‑vampire protagonist and a 30‑day time limit to save their family. (existing)
[○ 1 SOURCE] He believes good games will achieve sales naturally if they resonate with players.
[● 5 SOURCES] Rebel Wolves is developing The Blood of Dawnwalker, a dark fantasy RPG set in the 14th century. (existing)
[○ 1 SOURCE] Mateusz Tomaszkiewicz says he has a personal vendetta against filler content. (Mateusz Tomaszkiewicz)
[○ 1 SOURCE] Narrative director Jakub Szamalek says the game's themes are inspired by Eastern European history and folklore. (existing)
[● 5 SOURCES] Konrad Tomaszkiewicz says that focusing on sales during development leads to a project’s failure. (new)
[● 5 SOURCES] Tomaszkiewicz states that sales should be a secondary metric, measured after the game resonates with players. (new)