Make a splash in Poland with CDP

Advertorial Content in conjunction with CDP

Poland’s most famous gaming export is undoubtedly Geralt of Rivia, everyone’s favourite monster hunter in The Witcher series. But the game is just as popular, if not more so, in its home nation. There, the game is distributed by CDP, which makes sense as the distributor and developer CD Projekt Red used to be one and the same company.

The distribution arm of the firm, which dates back to its foundation in 1994, was separated off back in 2014, when joint CEOs Michal Gembicki and Robert Wesolowski performed a management buyout. The company, then CDP.pl, changed names to just CDP in April this year, with a new strategic focus, as Gembicki explains.

“Our company had three business pillars until April: retail distribution unit, ecommerce unit, and a global indie games publishing unit. Earlier this year, we came to a conclusion that we needed to streamline our business and concentrate efforts on what we are best known for.”

The ecommerce arm of the business was then acquired by Merlin Group, leaving Gembicki and Wesolowski to focus on the company’s main strengths. “Now we are CDP, a publishing and a distribution company that helps developers publish their games and publishers to distribute their titles in CEE region countries,” says Gembicki.

In that respect, the company is incredibly strong and experienced, with an enviable portfolio of big, medium and indie labels – which this autumn will include localised versions of massive titles, notably both Destiny 2 and Call of Duty: WWII from Activision, as well as Dontnod’s highly-anticipated vampire RPG Vampyr, and Elex, the ambitious looking, open world RPG from Piranha Bytes.

CDP also handles the rest of Activision Blizzard’s triple-A catalogue including World of Warcraft, Diablo, Starcraft, Overwatch and Crash Bandicoot. Also key is Giant Software, with the Farming Simulator series being incredibly popular in the CEE region, and of course, there’s CD Projekt Red in the mix, too. Beyond those “crown jewels,” CDP also works with Focus Entertainment, THQ Nordic, Anuman/Microids, and has recently started a cooperation with Koch Media.

CDP also organises big events, such as its Diablo launch party, to promote the games it distributes

CORE STRENGTH

CDP is also a key player in localising titles across the CEE region. While the company’s HQ is located in Warsaw, with Poland being “by far the biggest market that [CDP] works on”, the company also operates through a network of trusted partners in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and beyond.

That’s not to say CDP’s home market isn’t healthy in its own right, however: “The Polish retail games market is relatively big and still it holds strong on the physical-retail side. We are one of the few markets where PC games still sell well in brick and mortar shops, and you can find those games on lots of store shelves,” says Gembicki.

We are one of the few markets where PC games still sell well in brick and mortar shops

Michal Gembicki, CDP

“A Polish localisation is a must for every triple-A title now. We are a fully developed market and our customers demand being treated equally to those in western Europe or the US.” 

To that end, CDP localises 90 per cent of all the games that it publishes or distributes. Beyond distribution and localisation, the firm also has its own indie publishing arm, Klabater. It can also offer financial, marketing & PR and trade marketing services. 

Contact distribution manager Maciej Turski if you want to see your game published in Poland at:
maciej.turski@cdp.com.pl