CD Projekt Red is one of the most prominent Polish developers of video games. Headquartered in Warsaw and recruiting exclusively from its local talent pool, the company has been one of the cutting-edge developers in Europe, achieving a global standard of excellence buoyed by its outstanding franchises, such as Cyberpunk and The Witcher.
It’s The Witcher’s success that we are here to discuss today. The franchise has become some of the most globally-recognized names, so much so that when the game was first released back in 2007, it was subject to some prohibitions in places such as the Middle East. Of course, places such as Saudi Arabia have come a long way since 2007.
Under the new Crown Prince, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has in fact embraced esports and video gaming like never before. Video gaming is one of the economic pillars around which the king wishes to develop its global reputation and preeminence. Just like Middle East Online casinos, video games are becoming more popular by the day, and The Witcher is certainly one of the titles that are now very popular – and free of censorship in the majority of Middle Eastern states.
The Genesis of The Witcher
CD Projekt Red didn’t work alone on The Witcher. The game was inspired by Andrzej Sapkowski’s fantasy novels, which created a world of monsters and magic. In this world, Witchers slay monsters for money and remain unaffiliated. The game successfully portrayed this world, but the novels offer an even deeper exploration of it.
As The Witchers slay monsters to survive and support their clan, kingdoms compete for power. However, no loyalty is given to anyone. The video game effectively captures this dynamic, but the world of The Witcher, in both the novels and the game, is much more intricate.
That is why CD Projekt Red knew even when they were launching the games in 2007 that they would have the opportunity to deliver some outstanding games along the way and make the experience doubly rewarding. Since 2007, there have been several successful installments in the franchise – in fact, fans argue that CD Projekt Red’s interpretation of The Witcher is the best video game adaptation of a literary work of any time. And they have a point. CD Projekt Red went in heavily on both the storyline and the actual game design – creating immersive and compelling worlds that made the experiences even more vivid in the minds of players, helping them enjoy the game from start to finish.
Fan Reception and Critical Acclaim
In the first year of its release, The Witcher (2007) sold 1 million copies of the game, attesting to the grand accomplishment of the studio that designed it and the dedication that went into building the series. But by 2020, The Witcher series had already sold 50 million copies. This is only the legally bought copies, with the number of actual downloads happening through third parties such as “torrents” probably at least one-third of that number, if not matching it completely. Acknowledging the success of the first game, CD Projekt Red embarked on an even more ambitious project, seeking to bring an even more powerful and compelling experience to the franchise.
The reason for the seven-year gap between the releases of the next game in The Witcher series was the game’s complexity. But since 2014, CD Projekt Red has been consistently releasing new titles, including versions for the Nintendo Switch, Android, and iOS, as well as updated versions for Xbox One and PlayStation 4
The Witcher: Monster Slayer is presently the latest game in the series, too. CD Projekt Red has definitely made sure that its games are a success. This has been achieved through careful consideration and crafting of an already complicated world. The games have been trying to follow the world of the original The Witcher series and truthfully represent events not just to appeal to fans a little better, but also to make sure that sequels in the series are also paying off.
Final Thoughts
So, what’s next for CD Projekt Red? The Witcher is definitely going to remain one of their main franchises. The critical acclaim of the game has inspired Netflix to create a TV series of its own, which has in turn pushed book sales up. More people are enjoying The Witcher today than they have ever done before, and Poland is establishing itself as a global powerhouse when it come