Witcher 2 2.0 dated and detailed

By Fred Dutton Published 22 September, 2011

Plus, new info on Xbox 360 version.

The beefy 2.0 update for PC RPG The Witcher 2 goes live on 29th September, developer CD Projekt has announced at its Autumn conference.

The expansion, which is apparently larger than the enhanced version of the first game, includes 40 new technological and gameplay enhancements, all nine DLC packs released for the game so far and three big new features.

A new tutorial section has been bolted on in reaction to complaints that the game's opening section is too difficult. It takes the form of a short quest set in a small village in a forest.

Secondly, a super-difficult Dark Mode is also included. It adds three sets of dark armour, three dark swords, three new mini-quests and various other 'dark' themes and elements. The developer insists it offers players the "ultimate challenge" - so much so that it's offering an as-yet undisclosed prize to the first person to beat it.

Finally, 2.0 brings with it a new Arena Mode. Located in a forgotten stronghold in the kingdom of Kaedwan, you'll be able to scrap it out against various foes from the main game, and one new beast - the werewolf.

Encounters are time-based - the quicker you defeat your foe, the more points you'll rack up. Bonus points are also awarded for spectacular kills, while the crowd will react to your performance. Fight well and they'll cheer, fight poorly and they'll lob rotting veg at you.

You'll be able to buy weapons, carry over items from the main game and enlist the help of three different mercenaries.

All existing users get the add-on as a free auto update, while newcomers can pick up a boxed version for €39, down from €49. A digital download will be available on Steam and GOG for €29.99.

The developer also divulged a few scraps of new info about the impending Xbox 360 release. Described as an "adaptation" rather than a port, it's due out in early 2012. It'll include all the 2.0 content as well as a new four minute long opening cinematic. Don't be jealous, PC gamers - the clip will be added to the PC version after release too.

A few new trailers were also shown - we'll have them up on the site as soon as CD Projekt makes them public.

Picture of Fred.

About Fred Dutton

Fred Dutton is Eurogamer's US news editor, based in Washington DC.

Read more articles from Fred by visiting the Fred Dutton archive page.

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Comments (42) Latest comment 8 months ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • George-Roper #1 8 months ago

    Now THAT is how you reward your customers and support a game.

    Bravo!

  • Kaonazhie #2 8 months ago

    Wouldn't it be lovely if more developers published their games?

    It's nice to see they treat their customers and fans right. I hope they are rewarded with much £££ for their efforts.

  • Shakermaker #3 8 months ago

    I sucked at the game mechanics so a real tutorial helps a lot for me. Looking forward to giving this game another chance.

  • Ahskay #4 8 months ago

    /Ahskay bows down to cd-projekt and tries to finish The witcher 1 (again) till he plays The Witchers 2 new Dark Mode.

    Other developers (Ubisoft, Activision, EA,...) please take note how you treat customers the right way. Apparantly it's very succesfull according to Cd-Projekt. You should all try it!

  • number3son #5 8 months ago

    CD Projekt may be the very last major Publisher who truly supports and rewards their customers, simply for being their customers. God bless 'em.
    Edited by number3son at 22/09/11 @ 18:41

  • Paul_cz #6 8 months ago

    CDP have no equal when it comes to producing RPGs, publishing games, AND treating customers right.

    One of a kind company. And yes, that is sad.

  • The-Jack-Burton #7 8 months ago

    I wish I had a PC ( i have a shit laptop), but I don't, so I am thrilled at the prospect of playing this on 360.

  • CaptainTrips #8 8 months ago

    I fucking LOVE CD Projekt.

  • Gunship #9 8 months ago

    Although they sold ~1m units, it was a bit below target, so hopefully the console sales will take this title to the level of sales it deserves. Just about the only major developer treating us like people and not giving us worse games than those who stole a copy.

  • Shikasama #10 8 months ago

    It makes me want to buy the game AGAIN just to say thanks

  • dsmx #11 8 months ago

    PC game sales always have a very long tale it's not like on the consoles where you release something and you have about 2 weeks of high sales then everyone forgets about it. You release a game on the PC and people buy it in significant numbers sometimes for years after release, selling around 1 million copies now is a very good achievement..

  • Lukree #12 8 months ago

    Unbelievable... Just unbelievable.

  • SpaceMidget75 Verified Senior Software Developer, Minerva Computer Services #13 8 months ago

    If you haven't already, please go out and buy this game. You'll be getting a great game and showing the industry which way the consumer wants it to go.

  • Flipper79 #14 8 months ago

    Gonna be buying both 1 and 2. Been toying with the idea for a few days but this just swung it.

  • Lepinkain #15 8 months ago

    So the best RPG on this generetion of PC and console gaming gets even better. Guess I can be proud of my self for buying the CE editions of both Witcher 1 and 2 and in that way supporting CD Projekt.

  • Gastrian #16 8 months ago

    Post deleted at 17:56:43 13-04-2012

  • Paul_cz #17 8 months ago

    Gastrian - you should play the first one because it is amazing, but yeah, you can play second one without the first. You just have to read a journal a bit and pay attention.The story is completely selfcontained though (setup for third one a bit of course).

  • Gastrian #18 8 months ago

    Post deleted at 17:56:43 13-04-2012

  • Lepinkain #19 8 months ago

    Gastrian - you don't need to have played Witcher 1 before playing Witcher 2 but you can transfer over the save from Witcher 1 to Witcher 2 and keep the choices you made. If you start a new game without transferring the save, the game folds according to canon.

    But if that's not important to you, you can easly enjoy Witcher 2 on it's own.

  • Nova1977 #20 8 months ago

    Legendary update for a legendary game from a legendary development team!

  • Spazdarn #21 8 months ago

    I may actually pay for this game. I've wanted to get it for a while, hearing great things, but I'd nearly buy it just to thank them for the way they go about their business. Bravo

  • bemaniac #22 8 months ago

    This game is amazing. Stunning! Well supported!

  • Quickstick4 #23 8 months ago

    Best game ive played in a long time, so cant wait to find more places to explore/quests

  • deadstoned #24 8 months ago

    Love CD Projekt they just treat customers so well :)

  • darc #25 8 months ago

    "an "adaptation" rather than a port"

    What's the distinction exactly? This sounds like a distant, early warning to me.

  • Paul_cz #26 8 months ago

    darc - with so many badly made ports, the word "port" received pretty negative connotation these days. So they are calling it adaptation to distiguish it from badly made ports - their x360 version will feel as if it was native to the platform, without any compromises.

  • alegl5141 #27 8 months ago

    Hope this includes better hardware optimization.

    Really want to play this on PC, but at release even super computers struggled to play it well.

    Is this still the case?

  • evilrobot #28 8 months ago

    Post deleted at 22:12:53 08-05-2012

  • obscured021 #29 8 months ago

    @alegl5141 with all the patches and drivers it runs well on low end systems my 15" mac pro with a 6750m dose fine at med settings @ 1024x768 before the patches and driver updates the MBP had trouble at those settings. my desktop at launch had issues with 3d enabled (i7-2600k and 2 580gtx) but same story after updates 80 or more fps

  • PenguinJim #30 8 months ago

    "A digital download will be available on Steam and GOG for €29.99."

    Is it confirmed that it will be digital? I can only download things digitally. Knowing that this is confirmed to be digital would really put my mind at ease.

  • loboMuerto #31 8 months ago

    @alegl5141: I'm running it in my old gaming laptop at medium settings. You need to do one of the following: a) clean and optimize your system, b) buy one built this decade / upgrade components, c) troll somewhere else.

  • Revnan #32 8 months ago

    @PenguinJim
    Its confirmed, it will be 10€/$ cheaper, but buy on GOG.com, only Steam version has DRM and You will give more money to the REDs couse their own this site

  • Inmediasress #33 8 months ago

    Honestly thats how all the game industry should be working.
    This is a shining example of customer support not the shit that EA and Acti try to pull with their money hungry milking techniques.

  • Darren #34 8 months ago

    Although I'm personally not that excited about the additions to The Witcher 2, which as it currently stands is nigh-on-perfect in my eyes anyway, I still respect CD Projekt Red for continuing to support and evolve the game, all for nought pence too. Also it is admirable that the developers will add all the extra content and improvements from the 360 game to the PC game. You really can't complain at that.

  • PenguinJim #35 8 months ago

    @Revnan
    Sorry, I pre-ordered The Witcher 2 (my only pre-ordered game in about three years), and was just poking fun at EG's curious insistence on including the redundant "digital" every time they talk about download games. ;P

    Only terrorists say "digital download"!

    I did want to pre-order from GOG, but TheHut managed to undercut them, and I can never resist a free coin! At least the DRM was patched out in a few weeks. :)

  • abigsmurf #36 8 months ago

    Looks like they're fixing a lot of the worst stuff...

    Now they just need to put a checkpoint/potion drinking spot for the draug fight. God knows how alchemy specced people did that.
    Edited by abigsmurf at 23/09/11 @ 11:03

  • alegl5141 #37 8 months ago

    @loboMuerto I reckon you need to take a look at yourself if you think I'M trolling.

    The game at launch was critiqued by gamers and reviewers alike for being badly optimized. I've avoided the game up until this point based on that as I had heard nothing which suggested some super patch suddenly turning 10 fps on a half decent rig into 30+

    Out of interest, what are your old laptop's specs? Just so I can compare it with mine and work out accordingly what sort of performance I can expect.

  • Laminator #38 8 months ago

    I bought 2 copies of Witcher 2 just to support this developer, now I see I was well justified in doing so. That's what you get from me when you generously give stuff for free instead of trying to milk the cash with ripoff DLC. Long live CD Projekt and CDPR.

  • Lord_BeeJee #39 8 months ago

    Amazing! I feel like buying a second copy :)

  • Lord_BeeJee #40 8 months ago

    @alegl5141
    So you state a rumor as a fact and you're suprised that you get some flak? It ran perfectly at launch on medium to good pc's.

  • DeeTee_uk #41 8 months ago

    CDProjekt spreading the love again. Happy to support these guys.

  • Gastrian #42 8 months ago

    Post deleted at 17:56:43 13-04-2012