CD Projekt Red, best known as the developer of the Witcher franchise, is publicizing an unknown group's attempt to extract ransom over apparently leaked internal files describing the company's upcoming Cyberpunk 2077, an open-world role-playing game based on the 1990 PC title Cyberpunk 2020.

In a tweet this morning, the company warned that "unidentified individuals" are in possession of "early designs for the upcoming game," and these individuals are demanding a ransom to prevent the files' release to the public. "We will not be giving in to the demands of the individual or individuals that have contacted us," CD Projekt Red writes.

While that reticence to "give in" might lead to the files being released online, CD Projekt Red says the files are "old and largely unrepresentative of the current vision for the game... it would be best for you to avoid any information not coming directly from CD Projekt Red."

The ransom demand brings to mind the recent extortion attempt from hackers that gained early copies of Netflix's Orange is the New Black. Those hackers followed through on their threat to release those episodes when Netflix didn't give into demands, though the episodes would seem much more valuable than apparently outdated game design documents. In both cases, however, perpetrators have thus far been unable to get the pay-off they're seeking for any ill-gotten information.