Console Version of The Witcher Cancelled?

[Andy Chalk]

Console Version of The Witcher Cancelled?

A rumor coming out of Poland claims that The Witcher [http://become.thewitcher.com/], has been canceled.

CD Projekt [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/87795-The-Witcher-Comes-To-Consoles] co-founder Michal Kicinski also promised that a move to consoles wouldn't result in a "dumbed down" version of the game, saying, "We want to give players the best games, regardless of platform... Anyone concerned that we're going to somehow offer a shallow RPG or abandon the PC platform simply because we're working on consoles can stop worrying."

But those plans may have come to a premature halt, according to Polish gaming site 1Up [http://polygamia.pl/Polygamia/1,95338,6546572,Konsolowy_Wiedzmin_skasowany_.html] points out, the only response thus far has been a post on the Witcher forum saying, "We will comment on this in [an] official release soon."

We've put in our own request for clarification and hope to hear something soon but in the meantime it's safe to say that it's not looking good for the future of the game on consoles. Rumors are rumors but the lack of a strong and unequivocal denial from CD Projekt - or any kind of denial at all, for that matter - is not a positive sign.


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[RebelRising]

I hope this isn't true, I'd love to have tried this for Xbox.

True, I would have loved to have this for my Xbox.

 

[pantsoffdanceoff]

The spiteful side of me says that's what the Xbox gets for dying on me.

 

[TsunamiWombat]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO ;-;

 

[PersianLlama]

I hope not. I loved the Witcher on the PC. So much that I bought the enhanced edition when I already had the original and got the new content for free. I would've bought it again on console.

 

[iggyus]

I played it on PC but I wanted to give it a try on consoles too just for the new graphics. Damn it!!

 

[Woe Is You]

There are also rumors floating around about CD Projekt's financial crisis. Not because The Witcher didn't sell well (it sold awesomely) but because of the recession paired with such a quick expansion.

I can only suggest more people would get the PC version as it's an awesome little game.

 

[cainx10a]

Based on GameSpot (-cough-) report, they might actually be working on The Witcher 2 (for both consoles and PC -I can hear the PC Crowd shouting omg port/dumbed down version), but I think this might be pretty cool, considering the action scenes for the console game was slightly improved.

 

[sanzo]

That kinda sucks, I wanted to try this game out on my PS3

 

[DeleteMe1112311]

And I was looking forward to it too...I was actually feeling kinda optimistic about this one too.....

 

[Roundhousekickintheface]

THE WITCHER IS ASS, IM GLAD IT GOT CANCELLED

 

[ElArabDeMagnifico]

Looking through this thread, I'm amazed at how many people are willing to buy the same game over and over again. Obviously each version is drastically different though, and worth each "rebuy" - but it's pretty cool to show how much mileage there is in only ONE PART of the game series.

 

[Woe Is You]

Yeah, but it's currently only a rumor. Rumors are more often than not one-third crap and three-quarters bullshit...

But it is very troubling that they didn't shoot down such a rumor right away and instead going "we'll talk about that soon".

 

[ix_tab]

Man, that's a pity and I hope it's not true. I've heard good and bad things about the Witcher, and I'd like to give it a try. And since my PC considers even loading to be an issue, a console was the only way I am going to get to.

 

[tenlong]

i thought yahtze said it would a 8 week Correspondece course just to figure how to use items.

 

[Reaperman Wompa]

Well that sucks. I hear it is rather fun and I would have liked the pleasure of playing it on a console.

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

And here I was going to rent this, on the off chance that it sucked.

I was looking forward to it. Kinda.

 

[Jamash]

i thought yahtze said it would a 8 week Correspondece course just to figure how to use items.

That was hyperbole, in fact the inventory system, alchemy, magic and combat it's incredibly intuitive, it may just appear daunting at first because of the comprehensive manual.

If it has been cancelled, I'm guessing it may have something to do with the mature content and rating system.

It's mature content may have been pushing the game into the realms of an AO rating on the consoles (something that both Microsoft and Sony won't allow) and they, or the publisher may have demanded that it be watered down, so that it could get an M or even a T rating.

Because the content is key to the setting and the world of the novels, the developers may have been unwilling to cut out the 'heart and soul' of the game for a console release, as it wouldn't be doing the story or IP any justice.

In the US the original was rated M, and even then only after it had been heavily censored, so I can imagine an uncensored, true to the original European release, console version being rated AO even refused classification for the console market.

I've got a notion that PC games can still get away with more sex, violence and bad language than console games, because they are view more as adult applications, whereas console and console games are still view as 'toys for kids' by a lot of people.