I don't recall them ever saying they were done with the IP, just that Geralt's story was finished. The initial teaser for the new game frames it as a new saga, so I expect that is still true.
Also, Cyberpunk had a rough launch but it hasn't really been a failure and it has seen a resurgence in sales this year following the 1.5 update.
CD Projekt's first-quarter results for fiscal year 2022 come with some interesting data about the sales performance of Cyberpunk 2077. During the first quarter, developer CD Projekt Red released a major updated for the game that improved its performance on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
That update (released on February 15) appears to be driving increased sales of console versions of the game.
This statistic comes from CD Projekt's investor presentation, which showed rough sales data from before and after the release of patch 1.5. Though the company didn't provide precise numbers, its report to investors was that not only did overall game sales increase, but console versions of the game are selling better than before the update
"What? What?What?" -- The 14th Doctor
It's not enough to be a good player... you also have to play well. -- Siegbert Tarrasch
Max Peck wrote: Fri May 27, 2022 1:55 pm
I don't recall them ever saying they were done with the IP, just that Geralt's story was finished. The initial teaser for the new game frames it as a new saga, so I expect that is still true.
There are different ways of looking at it. My take is that they were ready to move on from doing any Witcher, Geralt or not, for the foreseeable future. They'd done 3 Witcher games pretty much back to back, and that's a long time with a single IP. For many devs, they were likely looking forward to working on something new.
Yeah, ok, so maybe Cyberpunk wasn't a total failure, but it got ravaged by the press upon release, and it wasn't the hit they were expecting. They needed to get back to something more stable, something they could count on them making them money.
Max Peck wrote:
Also, Cyberpunk had a rough launch but it hasn't really been a failure and it has seen a resurgence in sales this year following the 1.5 update.
I’m guessing a large part of that sales increased is because the the game has been dirt cheap for the consoles. I bought the game new from Best Buy two months ago for 5 (!!!) dollars.
They've done more with the IP than just the Witcher crpgs. There's also the adventure game, the Gwent games, a mobile game... I'm pretty sure that there was always going to be more stuff made with the Witcher IP no matter how Cyberpunk performed. You don't license an IP not to use it.
"What? What?What?" -- The 14th Doctor
It's not enough to be a good player... you also have to play well. -- Siegbert Tarrasch
The success of the Witcher series was a siren call to profit. Eventually the Ferengis show up.
Cyberpunk was pretty good. Some rough spots, sure, but playable. I would have liked a few stronger missions near the ending.
"A lie can run round the world before the truth has got its boots on." -Terry Pratchett, The Truth "The presence of those seeking the truth is infinitely to be preferred to those who think they've found it." -Terry Pratchett, Monstrous Regiment
One more off-topic comment (sorry): I really hope that a multiplayer Cyberpunk 2077 version is still on the table after the rough launch and everything. Night City and surroundings would be a great setting for a GTA Online type live service game.
"What? What?What?" -- The 14th Doctor
It's not enough to be a good player... you also have to play well. -- Siegbert Tarrasch
Max Peck wrote: Fri May 27, 2022 10:28 pm
They've done more with the IP than just the Witcher crpgs. There's also the adventure game, the Gwent games, a mobile game... I'm pretty sure that there was always going to be more stuff made with the Witcher IP no matter how Cyberpunk performed. You don't license an IP not to use it.
Sure, but that goes without saying. We were talking about the main games, which they were done with. The question was whether they'd ever do another major Witcher game, when they quite clearly set the sun on Geralt. They were hoping for Cyberpunk to net them similar profits, but the problems it was plagued with and the platforms it was not being sold on, combined with all the negative press likely signaled a return to something they could count on and get the public's confidence again. But I wouldn't be surprised if they don't want to be just known as 'the witcher developer'.
Max Peck wrote: Fri May 27, 2022 10:28 pm
They've done more with the IP than just the Witcher crpgs. There's also the adventure game, the Gwent games, a mobile game... I'm pretty sure that there was always going to be more stuff made with the Witcher IP no matter how Cyberpunk performed. You don't license an IP not to use it.
Sure, but that goes without saying. We were talking about the main games, which they were done with. The question was whether they'd ever do another major Witcher game, when they quite clearly set the sun on Geralt. They were hoping for Cyberpunk to net them similar profits, but the problems it was plagued with and the platforms it was not being sold on, combined with all the negative press likely signaled a return to something they could count on and get the public's confidence again. But I wouldn't be surprised if they don't want to be just known as 'the witcher developer'.
I’ll leave this alone after this post, too, but I did want to point out that Cyberpunk has, in fact, netted them similar profits compared to Witcher 3 if you look at the same time periods after launch:
It's hard to compare the two games' first years since they cover different time periods, but Cyberpunk 2077 isn't trailing that far behind The Witcher 3. Sales of The Witcher 3 dropped about 55 percent from 2015 to 2016.
Cyberpunk 2077 did beat The Witcher 3's first year of sales (though again, hard to directly compare their time periods), but The Witcher 3's major success was becoming a long-term, year-over-year revenue machine for CD Projekt. Revenue from game sales would climb again in 2017 and 2019, the latter backed by the debut of the Netflix series based on the original Witcher books by Andrzej Sapkowski.
Netflix is working on an anime directly inspired by Cyberpunk 2077, but it's unclear if it will have the same mass appeal as its Henry Cavill-starring cousin.
Max Peck wrote: Fri May 27, 2022 10:28 pm
They've done more with the IP than just the Witcher crpgs. There's also the adventure game, the Gwent games, a mobile game... I'm pretty sure that there was always going to be more stuff made with the Witcher IP no matter how Cyberpunk performed. You don't license an IP not to use it.
Sure, but that goes without saying. We were talking about the main games, which they were done with. The question was whether they'd ever do another major Witcher game, when they quite clearly set the sun on Geralt. They were hoping for Cyberpunk to net them similar profits, but the problems it was plagued with and the platforms it was not being sold on, combined with all the negative press likely signaled a return to something they could count on and get the public's confidence again. But I wouldn't be surprised if they don't want to be just known as 'the witcher developer'.
I’ll leave this alone after this post, too, but I did want to point out that Cyberpunk has, in fact, netted them similar profits compared to Witcher 3 if you look at the same time periods after launch:
Ok, I didn't realize it had similar profits, but I still think with the problems they were having, that they were likely put off from doing much further with it. The period between leaving Witcher 3 behind and the problems with Cyberpunk probably informed them of the direction they wanted to take next. What they shouldn't have done is release it for last-gen platforms. I don't think that's too much of a leap. Well, I guess there's also the fact that while the Witcher series has been very popular, it also had its own share of problems.
CD Projekt Red is on an announcement spree at the moment. As well as a Cyberpunk 2077 sequel (opens in new tab) and plans to include multiplayer (opens in new tab) in upcoming releases, we've finally heard more about the future of The Witcher, and it's pretty packed.
Project Polaris is the codename for the next Witcher game. According to the image post on Twitter, the game will indeed be a "story-driven open-world RPG built on the legacy of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt." But that's not where this stops. It's the beginning of a new full Witcher trilogy of games and all three of these games in the trilogy will be released within a six-year period.
Project Polaris is only in pre-production right now so it'll be a while before the six years begins but in any case it's a very exciting time for Witcher fans. The subject matter is still yet to be revealed but CD Projekt Red have already shown us one detail that will be important to the story's plot—the school of Witcher the protagonist may be from.
CD Projekt Red is a busy bunny indeed. The studio has presented a Marvel-esque roadmap for its future game releases, and there are a ton of them on the way. We now know that there is going to be a full Cyberpunk 2077 sequel (opens in new tab), a new trilogy of Witcher games (opens in new tab), but that isn't all. CD Projekt also announced two more games inspired by the Witcher, but which will not be part of the current Geralt storyline.
The games, codenamed Canis Majoris and Sirius, are being developed by studios outside of the main CD Projekt Red team. Sirius is going to be developed by Molasses Flood, a studio acquired by CD Projekt, and will be set in The Witcher universe. The tweet announcing Sirius says, "It will differ from our past productions, offering multiplayer gameplay on top of a single-player experience including a campaign with quests and a story."
Canis Majoris sounds like it's more in line with the RPGs CD Projekt Red has previously set in The Witcher universe. The Twitter description calls it "a full-fledged Witcher game, separate to the new Witcher saga starting with Polaris" that "will be developed by an external studio headed by experienced developers who have worked on past Witcher games."
"What? What?What?" -- The 14th Doctor
It's not enough to be a good player... you also have to play well. -- Siegbert Tarrasch
Blackhawk wrote: Fri May 27, 2022 8:47 am
Or people who don't have high end systems. The performance was awful on 'just ok' systems.
I totally accept that performance and bugs varied, but it may not be as simple as newness of the system. My son played it at launch on a 6 year old I7 with 16gb of RAM and only a GTX 980 TI and had minimal issues. Weird graphics T poses and a few buggy quests that forced him to reload, but nothing that made him stop playing.
Can't have a trailer without a video that explains the trailer. Apparently. This game is probably at least 2 or 3 years out (if you allow me to be wildly optimistic), so I hope they aren't going to build up too much hype too soon.
Anyway, here's Wonderwall the official breakdown of the trailer:
"What? What?What?" -- The 14th Doctor
It's not enough to be a good player... you also have to play well. -- Siegbert Tarrasch
I finally beat The Witcher 3 earlier this year after multiple false starts, so I'm really excited about this one. I'm also 1000% on board with the idea of Ciri as the protagonist. It's a great way to make it feel like a fresh new game while still keeping it firmly grounded in the Witcher universe.
Grifman wrote: Fri Dec 13, 2024 11:23 pm
Ciri makes total sense but the anti-woke/DEI usual suspects are all up in arms about this.
And the others are ranting because she looks older and weathered instead of like an 18 year old stripper.
F them all. This is perfect I think.
--------------------------------------------
I am Dyslexic of Borg, prepare to have your ass laminated.
I guess Ray Butts has ate his last pancake. http://steamcommunity.com/id/daehawk
"Has high IQ. Refuses to apply it"
When in doubt, skewer it out...I don't know.
I like her character and I'll be curious about how she's going to have time to go Witching when...
Spoiler:
she's Empress of most of the known world. At least from my playthrough.
Also she's traveled to different worlds. Hope they expand on that a bit. They can even use some assets from a particular city in another game they've released...
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Max Peck wrote: Fri Dec 13, 2024 3:15 pm
Can't have a trailer without a video that explains the trailer. Apparently. This game is probably at least 2 or 3 years out (if you allow me to be wildly optimistic), so I hope they aren't going to build up too much hype too soon.
Anyway, here's Wonderwall the official breakdown of the trailer:
Now that’s a trailer! I cannot wait for this. And Ciri looks perfect!!! Love the voice actor, too. Just the right amount of grizzled, jaded, cynical notes in her delivery.
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Do you believe me? Do you trust me? Do you like me? 😳
Here's an interesting interview segment for folks that are concerned that W4 makes some of the possible W3 endings non-canon.
Spoiler:
CD Projekt Red definitely has the ‘bigger, better, more advanced’ aspect of a AAA sequel underway, then. But sequels are also about continuing the story, and while The Witcher 4 is the start of a new saga, it’s still the next chapter in an established character’s life. And that’s where there’s a little problem to overcome.
“The one complication is probably the idea that there is an ending in which Ciri can die in The Witcher 3,” explains Maher. Thankfully that ending, which is one of three different fates for Ciri and the outcome of several hidden choices made throughout the game, isn’t quite as clear cut as it may seem.
“There are hints in that ending that highlight the fact that she probably does not die,” says Maher. And so regardless of the events you personally witnessed at the end of your own Witcher 3 playthrough, the sequel will not “break any canon or even offend any canon.”
"What? What?What?" -- The 14th Doctor
It's not enough to be a good player... you also have to play well. -- Siegbert Tarrasch
No you ignore the mod scene with that.....its BIG GIANT TITAS will be the first mod.
--------------------------------------------
I am Dyslexic of Borg, prepare to have your ass laminated.
I guess Ray Butts has ate his last pancake. http://steamcommunity.com/id/daehawk
"Has high IQ. Refuses to apply it"
When in doubt, skewer it out...I don't know.
I wonder if being able to play a Ciri sequence in W3 was a hint for this game or more of a "people liked playing as Ciri; we should spin her off as the next main character".
Either way, I'm very interested in seeing the story continue from her perspective.
Jolor wrote: Sun Dec 15, 2024 4:39 pm
I wonder if being able to play a Ciri sequence in W3 was a hint for this game or more of a "people liked playing as Ciri; we should spin her off as the next main character".
I think it's a natural progression for the overall story of The Witcher - what's happening in the story world. Geralt was (and continues to be) an anachronism. It won't surprise me if Ciri's story is one that has her starting out as Witcher-y, but then finding her own path in the world as it continues to change.
Jolor wrote: Sun Dec 15, 2024 4:39 pm
I wonder if being able to play a Ciri sequence in W3 was a hint for this game or more of a "people liked playing as Ciri; we should spin her off as the next main character".
I think it's a natural progression for the overall story of The Witcher - what's happening in the story world. Geralt was (and continues to be) an anachronism. It won't surprise me if Ciri's story is one that has her starting out as Witcher-y, but then finding her own path in the world as it continues to change.
Yeah, and even in the first game she's mentioned in Dandelion's journals and is critical to the story even while she's not technically present in the game. She's been an important character from the start, and the fact we get to play as her in Witcher 4 is just a natural progression.
Victoria Raverna wrote: Mon Dec 16, 2024 10:16 am
Apparently those that were angry about the Netflix's show going to focus on Ciri also are angry that the Witcher 4 is going to be about Ciri.
That only means there are people that have never read the books. Only the first couple, the short story collections, really focus on Geralt. The actual novels are far more focused on Ciri. Hell, Geralt barely even showed up in the last book. The Witcher "series" is really about Ciri.
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