Blizzard Adds CD Projekt Red Titles to Battle.net, Rejects Steam Model

Blizzard is expanding the third-party library of Battle.net by adding two major titles from CD Projekt Red before the end of 2026. The move signals a growing openness to external developers, though the company insists it will not transform its launcher into an open marketplace.

CD Projekt Red’s Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered are confirmed to launch on the platform by the end of 2026. Despite these high-profile additions, Blizzard told Polygon that it has no intention of competing directly with broad storefronts like Steam or the Epic Games Store. Andrew Guerrero of Blizzard emphasized that the company is not attempting to replicate those models, stating, "We really look at ourselves as, you know, we have our audience."

A Shift from Closed Ecosystems

Battle.net launched in 1997 as a dedicated platform for player chats and multiplayer server listings for Diablo. For nearly two decades, it remained a closed ecosystem primarily for Blizzard's own intellectual property. The strategy began to shift in 2017 with the launch of Destiny 2, marking the platform's first significant foray into hosting non-Blizzard titles.

This expansion accelerated following Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard. The service has since integrated titles from Xbox Game Studios and Bethesda, including Avowed and Sea of Thieves. The addition of CD Projekt Red's catalog represents the latest step in this evolution, moving the platform further away from its origins as a proprietary launcher.

The Curation Strategy

Blizzard is prioritizing brand alignment and a curated user experience over the pursuit of total market share in digital distribution. By avoiding an open-publishing model, the company aims to prevent the content bloat and curation difficulties that often plague massive, open-access storefronts.

Guerrero noted that expanding too broadly would change the nature of the platform's identity, stating, "If we went super, super wide, the curation just sort of becomes its own thing, and that's just not what we're trying to be." This approach suggests that Battle.net will only host top-tier titles that specifically appeal to its core player base rather than attempting to host every available PC game.

Future Outlook

While the platform continues to grow, Blizzard remains cautious about the scale of its expansion. According to Polygon, the company does not believe Battle.net will ever reach a state where external developers can simply use a "self-publish button" to list their games.

Industry observers will be watching to see if this curated approach can sustain growth or if the pressure to increase revenue will eventually force a move toward a more open ecosystem. For now, the focus remains on high-impact partnerships with established studios that mirror the prestige of Blizzard's own portfolio.