The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - GOTY Edition

[Elandyll]

Bad News.

Even though CDPR was indeed planning for a late 2014 release, The Witcher III has now been pushed all the way to February 2015, which led to a PR anouncement and a note to shareholders.

Release Date of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – An Open Letter

Ever since we started working on the third installment in The Witcher franchise, it has been our aim to produce a title that would take our 11 years of experience in creating RPGS and distill them into a quintessence, into a game that would effectively crown those years. At the same time, we have wanted The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt to expand creative boundaries, set new benchmarks, develop the genre as a whole. Ultimately, you, the players, must get an unforgettable adventure to experience in a vast, open world – and that’s most important. We’ve created a story that flows naturally, cinematically, rendered it in amazing sound and visuals, while preserving full freedom of choice – all for you. We knew this to be an ambitious plan, but believed we could achieve it by bringing together our team with its creative energies and current gaming platforms with their technical capabilities. A project this vast and complex would inevitably require special care in its final stages, manual fine-tuning of many details, thorough testing time and again.

We recently reexamined what we had achieved thus far, and faced a choice about the game’s final release date. The decision we made was difficult, thoroughly considered, and ultimately clear and obvious. We could have released the game towards the end of this year as we had initially planned. Yet we concluded that a few additional months will let us achieve the quality that will satisfy us, the quality gamers expect from us. Consequently, we have set the release of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt for February 2015.

Dear gamers - we know many of you would have liked to play The Witcher 3 sooner, as soon as possible, even. We’re sorry to make you wait longer than you, or we, initially assumed you would. At the same time, we believe the game will prove to be worth the wait and meet the expectations you have of us. We believe The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt will be an exceptional RPG, one of the best, providing many hours of wonderful entertainment.

Dear shareholders – we are aware of the responsibility that rests with us and thank you for the trust you have granted us thus far. We firmly believe that quality – more than any other factor – determines a game’s success, and that the decision we have made is thus equally valid in business terms.

The Board of CD PROJEKT S.A.

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the.../1100-6418237/

[Steelmaker]

Originally Posted by Elandyll

Bad News.

Even though CDPR was indeed planning for a late 2014 release, The Witcher III has now been pushed all the way to February 2015, which led to a PR anouncement and a note to shareholders.




http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the.../1100-6418237/

Wow! What a shitty week to be a gamer! First Naughty Dog loses one of it's main developers, then Jack Tretton leaves Sony, then Watch Dogs looks like crap, THEN Drive Club is still in development with no release date in sight, THEN we get this news!!!!

I'm telling you if Destiny gets delayed to next year I am going to throw a shit fit!

[RaijinUT]

Originally Posted by Steelmaker

Wow! What a shitty week to be a gamer! First Naughty Dog loses one of it's main developers, then Jack Tretton leaves Sony, then Watch Dogs looks like crap, THEN Drive Club is still in development with no release date in sight, THEN we get this news!!!!

I'm telling you if Destiny gets delayed to next year I am going to throw a shit fit!

Correction... Watch Dogs has always looked to crap.

But yes, it has been a crummy week for gaming news.

[Steelmaker]

Originally Posted by RaijinUT

Correction... Watch Dogs has always looked to crap.

But yes, it has been a crummy week for gaming news.

I swear to God, all we need now is to start seeing bad Infamous SS reviews and I'm going to go postal LOL!

[Elandyll]

Well, for Driveclub it could be explained by a strategic decision, we'll see between next week and E3.

But overall since the new (now current) gen started, it has been a litany of delays/ bad surprises (broad statement, granted):

- Features outright missing from consoles (video streaming on XB1, 3D Blu Ray playback, Youtube app on PS4, Suspend state on PS4, External Storage on XB1, DLNA, mp3...)
- Watch Dogs delayed (and possibly downgraded)
- The Division will not be seen (apparently) until 2015
- War Thunder, supposedly a launch title, launches in Europe but not in NA for PS4
- Planetside 2 which was slated for PS4 "launch Window" (Q4 2013/ Q1 2013) is now "sometime in 2014".
- Deep Down Beta delayed (was late February 2014, now "sometime after summer"
- Bunch of smaller titles delays (Kinect sports, Octodad...)
- Halo 5 (supposedly a 2014 title according to a trailer) will not come until 2015 (cf Gaf leaks from ntkrnl, which have so far proved correct)
- New IP from Black Tusk shelved to make way for new Gears of War
- New IP from Santa Monica cancelled or re-booted (along with layoffs)
- Games released either half broken (online BF4) or with core features missing (resolution in COD or AC4...) and meant to be corrected by patch


And now Witcher III delayed for at least 5 months...

I wasn't really around for the beginning of the PS360 era. Was the beginning of last gen that messy?

[Josh B]

I'm just glad you guys get to bear the burden of ironing out all these kinks before I drop a few hundred on next gen.

[Steelmaker]

Originally Posted by Elandyll

Well, for Driveclub it could be explained by a strategic decision, we'll see between next week and E3.

But overall since the new (now current) gen started, it has been a litany of delays/ bad surprises (broad statement, granted):

- Features outright missing from consoles (video streaming on XB1, 3D Blu Ray playback, Youtube app on PS4, Suspend state on PS4, External Storage on XB1, DLNA, mp3...)
- Watch Dogs delayed (and possibly downgraded)
- The Division will not be seen (apparently) until 2015
- War Thunder, supposedly a launch title, launches in Europe but not in NA for PS4
- Planetside 2 which was slated for PS4 "launch Window" (Q4 2013/ Q1 2013) is now "sometime in 2014".
- Deep Down Beta delayed (was late February 2014, now "sometime after summer"
- Bunch of smaller titles delays (Kinect sports, Octodad...)
- Halo 5 (supposedly a 2014 title according to a trailer) will not come until 2015 (cf Gaf leaks from ntkrnl, which have so far proved correct)
- New IP from Black Tusk shelved to make way for new Gears of War
- New IP from Santa Monica cancelled or re-booted (along with layoffs)
- Games released either half broken (online BF4) or with core features missing (resolution in COD or AC4...) and meant to be corrected by patch


And now Witcher III delayed for at least 5 months...

I wasn't really around for the beginning of the PS360 era. Was the beginning of last gen that messy?

I don't think to this degree. I mean, yes Killzone 2 took forever to come out and some of the early PS3 games didn't live up to the hype like Lair and Heavenly Sword. However once titles like Uncharted, Motorstorm, Wipeout HD, Metal Gear 4, etc came out the PS3 was rolling.

I'm just getting concerned because all of the next gen games that I was looking forward to for 2014 seems be getting either bad press or being delayed. Originally Drive Club, Infamous SS, Watch Dogs, Destiny, The Order 1886, and The Witcher 3 were the titles I was planning on buying for 2014. Now that list seems to be down to Infamous, The Order, and Destiny. Who knows about Drive Club and Watch Dogs, I just don't want to financially support this game considering how Ubisoft has handled it.

[Elandyll]

You haven't heard?

Destiny's Beta is now scheduled for Spring 2015, and they hope to release by mid Summer 2015, perhaps Fall 2015.


Please be Excited!

[Show spoiler]

[RaijinUT]

Originally Posted by Steelmaker

I swear to God, all we need now is to start seeing bad Infamous SS reviews and I'm going to go postal LOL!

Lol. I will put you on suicide watch till the Infamous' reviews hit on the 21st.

[wooble89]

Bad news indeed, which I agree there has been a lot of recently.

Even worse this probably means Cyberpunk 2077 will be 2016 at the earliest.

I don't really have the energy to play the first 2 Witcher games, but I was all for jumping on this one.

[BoydR12]

Originally Posted by Steelmaker

I don't think to this degree. I mean, yes Killzone 2 took forever to come out and some of the early PS3 games didn't live up to the hype like Lair and Heavenly Sword. However once titles like Uncharted, Motorstorm, Wipeout HD, Metal Gear 4, etc came out the PS3 was rolling.

I'm just getting concerned because all of the next gen games that I was looking forward to for 2014 seems be getting either bad press or being delayed. Originally Drive Club, Infamous SS, Watch Dogs, Destiny, The Order 1886, and The Witcher 3 were the titles I was planning on buying for 2014. Now that list seems to be down to Infamous, The Order, and Destiny. Who knows about Drive Club and Watch Dogs, I just don't want to financially support this game considering how Ubisoft has handled it.

Apparently the Order is really subpar as well. Cookie cutter action game, such a shame. I'm getting really disappointed by all of this nonsense.

[Omegaice]

Originally Posted by BoydR12

Apparently the Order is really subpar as well. Cookie cutter action game, such a shame.

Says who? You?

OT:Shitty news aboot the Witcher though, I was looking forward to it.

[jsteinhauer]

I don't know why anyone is expecting any serious innovation in games in a new generation. You're at a point where you can't do much with that, and the improvements are simply increments in graphic quality and performance.

Consider that most of the games that are most highly anticipated are existing IP's from big publishers, so the cookies are going to be cut into those shapes. It's too risky to spend a modern AAA game budget on something untried. Shareholders usually don't tolerate that very often.

[Steelmaker]

Originally Posted by jsteinhauer

I don't know why anyone is expecting any serious innovation in games in a new generation. You're at a point where you can't do much with that, and the improvements are simply increments in graphic quality and performance.

Consider that most of the games that are most highly anticipated are existing IP's from big publishers, so the cookies are going to be cut into those shapes. It's too risky to spend a modern AAA game budget on something untried. Shareholders usually don't tolerate that very often.

Personally I think the true innovation will come from cinematic story-telling and a continued improvement with stories and characters creating real emotional weight. We already started seeing much of this on PS3 with games like Bioshock, Uncharted, The Last Of Us, Heavy Rain, and Beyond: Two Souls. I think that line between gaming and story-driven cinematics will continue to be blurred.

Also, I think "open world" will be the IT word for this new generation. I think linear game play is quickly going the way of the do do. One of the biggest reasons I'm looking forward to Destiny is that not only is it open world, it's open WORLDS! Bungie is trying to create an experience that is completely organic that will constantly evolve and change. I'm looking forward to experiencing it.

[jsteinhauer]

Originally Posted by Steelmaker

Also, I think "open world" will be the IT word for this new generation. I think linear game play is quickly going the way of the do do. One of the biggest reasons I'm looking forward to Destiny is that not only is it open world, it's open WORLDS! Bungie is trying to create an experience that is completely organic that will constantly evolve and change. I'm looking forward to experiencing it.

It's a bit creepy. We really will all be avatars living fantasy lives in virtual worlds. You'll be having a committal relationship with a significant other in this virtual world. You won't get to reap the benefits, though. I can conceive of an environment where if you are particularly skilled at something in a game that big, you can earn a living providing your services to other gamers. Mercenary work, hitman work, weapon or armor crafting, healing, makeovers, you name it. Be careful, because once you enter, you might never leave.

[Josh B]

Originally Posted by jsteinhauer

It's a bit creepy. We really will all be avatars living fantasy lives in virtual worlds. You'll be having a committal relationship with a significant other in this virtual world. You won't get to reap the benefits, though. I can conceive of an environment where if you are particularly skilled at something in a game that big, you can earn a living providing your services to other gamers. Mercenary work, hitman work, weapon or armor crafting, healing, makeovers, you name it. Be careful, because once you enter, you might never leave.

Sounds like Huxley may have hit a little closer to home than Orwell.

[R3P0]

Originally Posted by Steelmaker

Wow! What a shitty week to be a gamer! First Naughty Dog loses one of it's main developers, then Jack Tretton leaves Sony, then Watch Dogs looks like crap, THEN Drive Club is still in development with no release date in sight, THEN we get this news!!!!

I'm telling you if Destiny gets delayed to next year I am going to throw a shit fit!

Steel if its delayed to make it better like Infamous I am ok with that. If this delayed and they pull crap like we are seeing with Watch Dogs this once will also be dropped out of my list. This game looks phenomenal right now.

[detective392]

Sucks this was delayed. One good thing is it saves me money from all the other 2014 games I'll be getting by years end. Only problem is Witcher 3 was the one I wanted the most.

[Elandyll]

Small silver lining with this news (considering the concerns over the other big title in development at CDRP)

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/wit.../1100-6418262/

The delay of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC will not materially affect development on CD Projekt Red's other major role-playing game Cyberpunk 2077, CEO of the Polish studio Marcin Iwinski has said.

"Cyberpunk 2077 is developed by a separate team within CD Projekt Red, so the development of Cyberpunk 2077 is not really affected," Iwinski told GameSpot today. Cyberpunk 2077 is also coming to Xbox One, PS4, and PC.

in 2014 my most awaited games were Rime, Watcher 3, Second Son and Destiny (and Alien Isolation, but something tells me that it won't make the Q4 2014 it's rumored at).
That's one off the list, hopefully no more than that...

[wooble89]

Oh it's great that Cyberpunk is unaffected cause I'm looking forward to that one.