CD Projekt, the Polish video game company behind The Witcher series and the GOG.com digital storefront, has used a bird-based emblem since 2014. The current mark, refreshed in 2026, depicts the raróg, a mythical firebird from Slavic folklore, rendered in red.
Design and History
CD Projekt was founded in 1994 as a distributor of localized games in Poland, and its development studio CD Projekt RED was established in 2002.[1] For the first time since the studio’s founding, CD Projekt RED updated its logo in May 2014, introducing the “REDbird” symbol.[2] The new emblem featured a northern cardinal, a bird Americans call the “redbird,” which became the symbol of the CD Projekt group.[1]
In August 2026, CD Projekt RED revealed a brand refresh that built upon the company’s history “without departing from its roots.”[3] The raróg logo was refreshed to be “more mature, confident, and energetic,” while the visual identity adopted a focused color palette that places red at the heart of the brand.[4] The bird’s form was simplified and modernized, with the studio name’s lettering stripped of unnecessary details for greater legibility across media formats.[5] The refresh also introduced a bold red background, replacing the previous white one, and gave the raróg a more aggressive expression with an open beak and refined talons.[6]
Meaning and Symbolism
When the REDbird logo was introduced in 2014, CD Projekt RED head Adam Badowski explained the symbolism: “We are rebels and rebels are free. Just like birds. The Northern Cardinal, or REDbird, is what we see ourselves in the industry: intrepid, bold and confident; flying high and aiming even higher.”[7] He also connected the color red to the raróg, “a mythological creature close to our cultural roots and heritage, the Rarog, a small firebird believed to bring luck to people.”[2] The 2014 press release described the cardinal as embodying the qualities the group identifies with: independence and courage.[1]
Badowski further explained that “RED stands for energy, the inner fire that drives us; it represents something very close to everyone here in the studio, the creativity and passion we harness from within ourselves to make the best RPGs in the world.”[7]
Typography and Design
In the 2026 refresh, the studio name’s lettering was simplified, removing unnecessary details to make it more legible and versatile across various multimedia formats.[5] The official press release describes the overall look as “modernized and more adaptable,” designed to help the brand communicate on a global level.[3]
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