Bandai Namco to Publish Witcher Devs' New RPG

Elden Ring publisher Bandai Namco Entertainment has inked a publishing agreement with Rebel Wolves for the studio's debut action RPG, Dawnwalker.

Rebel Wolves and Bandai Partner for “Dawnwalker” SagaFurther Dawnwalker Details Expected In The Coming Months

Rebel Wolves, the Polish studio established by The Witcher 3’s game and art directors, has inked a deal with Elden Ring publisher Bandai Namco Entertainment, as declared earlier this week. Bandai becomes the global publisher of Rebel Wolves' forthcoming debut title in the “Dawnwalker” Action RPG series, which will launch sometime in 2025 on PC, PS5, and Xbox.

Dawnwalker is a narrative-driven AAA action-RPG set in medieval Europe, featuring dark fantasy elements for mature players. Further details about Dawnwalker are anticipated from Rebel Wolves in the coming months. Founded in 2022 in Warsaw, Poland, the studio aims to elevate RPGs "to the next level" with its narrative-focused approach to games.

"Rebel Wolves is a new studio built on strong foundations: a blend of experience and fresh energy. Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe, a firm renowned for its commitment to the role-playing genre and openness to new IPs, is an ideal partner for our team," Rebel Wolves chief publishing officer Tomasz Tinc said in its press release. "Not only does it share our values, but also its track record in publishing story-driven RPGs speaks volumes. We're eager to collaborate with them to bring the first chapter of the Dawnwalker saga to players globally."

Bandai Namco stated that it views Dawnwalker as a valuable addition to its game lineup, with business development VP Alberto Gonzalez Lorca noting, "This marks another significant achievement in our content development strategy for the Western market. By leveraging our combined strengths, we will deliver this inaugural game from the studio to a global audience."

Having joined Rebel Wolves early this year, Mateusz Tomaszkiewicz, a CD Projekt Red veteran who served as the lead quest designer on The Witcher 3, leads the studio as creative director. Dawnwalker has been confirmed to be based on a new intellectual property by Rebel Wolves' co-founder and narrative director Jakub Szamalek, who worked as a writer for over 9 years at CD Projekt Red. Moreover, the game's scale is expected to be similar to The Witcher 3's Blood and Wine expansion, and it will feature a more non-linear storyline.

"We aim to deliver an experience that will allow for diverse choices and room for experimentation upon replay. Helping craft this experience with so many talented individuals will be my mission at Rebel Wolves, and I can’t wait for everyone to see what the team has been developing for quite some time," Tomaszkiewicz stated earlier in the year.