NetEase acquired a 26 percent stake in the studio and provided a $40 million budget. Studio director Tomaszkiewicz noted that such financial backing is increasingly rare in modern AAA game production. Full-scale development ramped up in 2024 with 90 employees, and the studio ultimately concluded production with roughly 160 staff members.
Team Scaling and Creative Control at the Studio
Maintaining a manageable studio size remained a core priority for leadership throughout the production cycle. According to Bloomberg, Tomaszkiewicz stated that keeping the headcount around 160 employees best suited operational needs while preserving a hands-on development culture.
“We decided that the size of the team we have now best suits our needs,” Tomaszkiewicz explained to Bloomberg. “It still allows me to get to know all the employees. I can talk to everyone every day. It still makes me feel like a creator, not a manager, which is something I want to keep doing.”
Navigating Release Windows and Avoiding Crunch
Development milestones shifted significantly when leadership chose to delay the project.
Tomaszkiewicz acknowledged to Bloomberg that the schedule adjustment carried considerable market risk. While a summer release window offered less crowded competition for a brand-new intellectual property, moving the debut into the autumn season forced the title to face a much heavier lineup of competing releases.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What was the budget for The Blood of Dawnwalker?
How large was the development team?
Development started with a small team before scaling to 90 employees in 2024, finishing the project with approximately 160 staff members, as reported by Bloomberg.
Why was the game delayed?
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