CD Projekt RED uncorks champagne to celebrate the fifth anniversary of one of the most influential titles of the current generation.
Geralt of Rivia and The Witcher are at the peak of their popularity. The video game CD Projekt RED contributed to make known the character and the saga, which was born from the pen of the Polish writer Andrzej Sapkowski. From well-known is the push and pull that the study and the author of the novels kept throughout the years, but finally, in 2019, both parties smoked the pipe of peace and announced a closer collaboration for the future. In this context, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt celebrates its fifth anniversary, a triumph that has placed CD Projekt RED among the most respected developers.
The student himself wanted to pay his due tribute and toasted champagne in an image in which we can see Geralt de Rivia dressed in a suit and with a glass in his hands. Today we celebrate the fifth anniversary of the launch of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Completing the Geralt adventure was a decisive moment for CD Projekt RED, so it will always stay in our hearts ”, they publish in their official account. The truth is that after two deliveries far from overwhelming success, the third part completely turned the situation around, to the point that the saga has become a real best seller (almost 30 million units sold) and has given rise to the Netflix series premiere. Why has it succeeded? These are some of the reasons
Today we celebrate the 5th anniversary of #TheWitcher 3: Wild Hunt release. Concluding Geralt's adventure was a defining moment for CD PROJEKT RED and it will always remain in our hearts.
What's your fondest memory with Geralt? pic.twitter.com/W6TFBY1sbn
– CD PROJEKT RED (@CDPROJEKTRED) May 19, 2020
1. Well-planned side missions
Within open world video games, playing errand is the general trend. Go to "x" place, kill a few bugs, go back and take the reward. What The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt raises is a narrative veneer of all those additional stories. It may mechanically continue to offer something akin to other video games, but by coloring the side quests with deeper scripts, players feel like they're not doing things to be done. And that Geralt of Rivia, in his capacity as a sorcerer, is dedicated to killing beasts after signing their respective contracts. He's still an errand boy, only instead of delivering merchandise, he brandishes his sword and launches his powers against the world's most horrible monsters.
2. Geralt de Rivia, a character with chiaroscuros
The character of the novels and video games may differ at some point, but the truth is that Geralt de Rivia is not a hero, nor the opposite. It is a gray protagonist, who does not always respond according to the usual stereotypes of the fantasy genre and who has doubts, something that makes him human despite his mutant status. His relationship with characters like Ciri or Yennefer from Vengerberg gives the player different visions of his personality. Beyond his hybrid nature, that he always looks for new contracts to continue working, other characteristics emerge that make him a protagonist rich in nuances.
3. Adult fantasy
This is an inheritance from novels, as is Geralt's personality. The world building of The Witcher 3 contains classic fantasy elements. This means that there are creatures like dragons or horrifying monsters. At that point, the comparisons with A Song of Ice and Fire have been constant, but Andrzej Sapkowski's stories were already before George R.R. Martin will publish his books. It is an adult fantasy that looks at the world from a gray scale. The human being can be a creature as terrible as the fiercest monster.
4. Expansion policy
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is not only a huge video game, but was built with the idea that it would last for many years. To do this, CD Projekt RED dispensed with releasing small history DLCs and opted for an old-fashioned model, due to large expansions. Thanks to Hearts of Store and Blood and Wine, players enter new locations and experience new adventures starring the witcher and the rest of known (and unknown) faces. His anti-microtransaction story has also garnered the sympathy of users.
5. Your arrival on Nintendo Switch and Xbox Game Pass
It was at E3 2019 when the already veteran CD Projekt Red video game sneaked into Nintendo Direct for its announcement on Nintendo Switch. Although previous rumors had been heard, the study surprised locals and strangers by confirming that all content would be available on a single card. Saber Interactive and the Poles collaborated to transfer the whole adventure in a portable format. Of course, some graphic aspects had to be adapted, although the developer updated the product later on to add graphic options and other features. One of the most interesting points is the cross save between Nintendo Switch and Steam. Furthermore, The Witcher 3 is available in the Xbox Game Pass catalog, so that all subscribers have access to the product.
What is the future of The Witcher? According to CD Projekt RED, surely a tomorrow without Geralt de Rivia as the protagonist. In recent statements, the study has dropped that they may return to the story of Ciri. As they commented, they regret not having delved so deeply into their origins.
