Will there be a PS3 version of The Witcher 2?

By Robert Purchese Published 14 February, 2012

It would need new content, CD Projekt tells Eurogamer.

It sounds like a PlayStation 3 version of The Witcher 2 hangs in the balance - does CD Projekt remake the same adventure again for a new audience, or does it build a new adventure for existing fans?

Seven months ago, modestly sized Polish developer CD Projekt Red said it would "love" to do a PS3 version of the celebrated role-playing game.

Four months ago, questions about a PS3 decision were batted away because CD Projekt was focused squarely on the Xbox 360 adaptation, due April.

That's nearly a year after The Witcher 2 arrived on PC, in May 2011.

When does CD Projekt make the decision about putting The Witcher 2 on Sony's console?

"We are waiting for the perfect occasion," CD Projekt Red managing director Adam Badowski told Eurogamer, after a brief and knowing chuckle.

"There are many PS3 fans who probably want to play The Witcher 2, and we know about it, so we should always consider such paths."

Adam Badowski, managing director, CD Projekt Red

Is such a perfect occasion after the Xbox 360 launch of The Witcher 2?

"I think it's better than before," he parried.

"Perfect occasion is like Spanish Inquisition," joked CDPR head of marketing Michal Platkow-Gilewski. "You never know!"

CD Projekt Red has gone to considerable time and effort adapting The Witcher 2 for Xbox 360, building a new rendering engine, creating new game content and putting together flashy cinematic trailers. A full team of around 90 developers have worked on this for a year. The Enhanced Edition of The Witcher 2 is no lazy port; it's CD Projekt's console debut and it has to be up to scratch.

How, then, would CD Projekt approach a PS3 version of the game? Would such a project take as long again - a year?

"Theoretically," answered Badowski. "It's all about the new renderer and it's all about the new content; you need to have something new to pass concept submission, for example.

"On the other hand, we have a lot of fans who want to play our next games."

Michal Platkow-Gilewski, head of marketing, CD Projekt Red

"But strictly theoretically."

More to the point, would CD Projekt be prepared to put its team back to work on the same adventure for a third time?

"Time will show," Badowski dodged. "There are many, various consoles, so for me it's not a problem [the time it would take].

"There are many PS3 fans who probably want to play The Witcher 2, and we know about it, so we should always consider such paths."

"On the other hand," interjected Platkow-Gilewski, "we have a lot of fans who want to play our next games."

"Yeah, exactly," Badowski agreed.

"So we just have to measure up our capabilities," Platkow-Gilewski pressed on.

"We are not a huge developer," admitted Badowski.

"If we had 300 people here," Platkow-Gilewski dreamt, "that would be a way easier decision."

Badowski's comment about the potential PS3 version of The Witcher 2 needing new content to pass concept submission may refer to Sony's policy of requesting new features for PS3 games that have already launched on other platforms.

The Enhanced Edition of The Witcher 2 on Xbox 360.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds. @Clert on Twitter.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (53) Latest comment 3 months ago

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

  • bikmate #1 3 months ago

    I certainly hope so, so I can pick up the collector's edition. I missed out on it on the PC

  • UncleLou #2 3 months ago

    Wouldn't begrudge PS3-only gamers the game, not at all. But a delay of one year for whichever project they're doing next would be a too high price to pay from my selfish point of view.

  • shadowmind #3 3 months ago

    Why did I trade in my Xbox, so want Witcher for Ps3.

  • PierrePressure #4 3 months ago

    Please make it happen.

    If there is a petition to be signed do let us know fellow Eurogamers :)

  • Lord_Gremlin #5 3 months ago

    Well, since Sony policy ensures exclusive content at this point... Why not. I mean, Platinum trophy is a Platinum trophy.

  • wattsn26 #6 3 months ago

    Include an enhanced version of the Enhanced PC version of "The Witcher 1" with "The Witcher 2" and you're golden.

    4 million PS3 owners bought Skyrim, 1.5 million PS3 owners bought Demon's Souls, and almost 1 million PS3 owners bought Dark Souls, so clearly there is an audience for another RPG on the platform.

    Hopefully the 360 version does well.

  • wattsn26 #7 3 months ago

    @Eurocensor MS' version of the policy is not remotely the same. Their version is if a game does not arrive on the 360 at the same time as the PS3, Microsoft won't even put it on XBL...If a game is released during Microsoft's promotional schedule it HAS to be a timed exclusive for a month...

    How are either of those policies as bad as asking for new content for a game that has been released on both the PC and 360 already? Sony would want PS3 owners to have an incentive for buying CD Projekt's game....

  • Triggerhappytel #8 3 months ago

    I'll pay them 40 pounds up front, if they need a hand funding development!

    /Really wants The Witcher 2 on PS3.

  • wattsn26 #9 3 months ago

    @Eurocensor What are you talking about? That is not true at all. There are plenty of XBLA games that have appeared on PSN later on (Castle Crashers, Limbo, Beyond Good & Evil), how many can you name that have appeared on PSN first but XBLA much later besides "Joe Danger"?

    And no, the games that have appeared on the Microsoft promotions were not paid for with a multiplatform advertising budget. A PC user does not see advertising for "Limbo" because of Microsoft...they require timed exclusivity because they advertise the game on the 360's dashboard.

    How is Sony's policies regarding extra content for a late retail game worse than all of Microsoft's policies regarding retail and downloadable games?
    Edited by wattsn26 at 14/02/12 @ 16:13

  • freethinker101 #10 3 months ago

    To be honest if they thought they could make money from it, then they probably would. Like he said they are a small dev, and asking talented, creative people to make the same thing for a 3rd time, while educational might just be asking a little to much of them...... Unless of course a publisher stumps up some cash so they can recruit new staff.....

  • darkmorgado #11 3 months ago

    @wattsn26 It's not worse. It's "on par" with.

  • wattsn26 #12 3 months ago

    @darkmorgado No its not. How many times do you hear developers taking issue with Sony's PSN policies? Hello Games even opted out of putting their game on XBL initially because of Microsoft's policies, and their game was self published.

    Not to mention Valve completely leaving Steam functionality off of the 360 version of Portal 2, whereas on the PS3 version you're able to play cooperatively with PC players.

    It is in no way "on par" with their policies

  • wattsn26 #13 3 months ago

    @Eurocensor Week or day long exclusivity? (PSN) Compared to month or year long exclusivty? (XBL)

    Clearly Microsoft enforces a much more strict policy regarding timed exclusivity than Sony...

  • GamesConnoisseur #14 3 months ago

    I do prefer Sony's policies over MS but cone on, both does have form of protectionist approach but differs in degrees.

    I likewise wouldn't begrudge Sony fans and hope they could do it, why not farm it out to experienced PS3 developers?

  • wattsn26 #15 3 months ago

    @GamesConnoisseur How is asking for new content for a year old game that has arrived on two different platforms already comparable to Microsoft's various other policies. I don't see how anyone can defend them in that regard. Like CD Projekt have said they are a small developer with experience primarily with PC games. Its understandable that they went with the 360 for its first console outing, and at least they are interested in the platform.
    Edited by wattsn26 at 14/02/12 @ 17:17

  • Ostinato #16 3 months ago

    It would be a day 1 purchase for me.

  • berryl227 #17 3 months ago

    Eurocensor your back again then which other acronyms have you gone under? Why oh why do you insist on spouting your bile about the ps3 ? Is it to incite?

    Anyway just so you know your now on ignore !

    Good bye sad man.

  • Rajin #18 3 months ago

    @Eurocensor

    jeee i'm a fanboy and i'm laughing at other imagined Sony fanboys! How very mature of you !

    Please try to change the tone in your posts, right now they're made to piss people off.

    It would be great if no such policy's were there at all, the more content for a say, year old release is understandable, otherwise there's little incentive for many to buy the game. The perfect solution would be new content but made available on xbox 360 for a premium price.
    Edited by Rajin at 14/02/12 @ 18:03

  • cloudskipa #19 3 months ago

    Post deleted at 18:10:43 14-02-2012

  • cloudskipa #20 3 months ago

    I think it would be a task for them to port it to PS3 due to it's awkward architecture. It would be nice to see happen but it would be a lot of work and I think they know that.

  • DoctorFraud #21 3 months ago

    You bought a PS3. You made the wrong choice. Live with it.

  • Drygore #22 3 months ago

    @Eurocensor

    Actually, he's right. Im no fanboy at all. But since i know several developers, i know that MS has some weird shit going on policy-wise compared to Sony. But at the same time you gain a bit more being on XB Live..

    And that's all i'll ever say about that.

  • Drygore #23 3 months ago

    @Eurocensor

    Oh. I just realised what a massive clusterfuck of a fanboy you are. Sigh.. Take that shit somewhere else will ya?

  • Drygore #24 3 months ago

    @DoctorFraud

    Because of Witcher 2? Haha, what?

  • Snake_2011 #25 3 months ago

    cloudskipa would not be a Sony story without your crap.

  • makeamazing #26 3 months ago

    A few things really...

    1. I don't really think the PS3 is as hard to program now than it used to be, its moved forward a lot since its first release... a lot has been done to the SDK etc. Of course a developer who has no experience of the PS3 might struggle initially.

    2. From a company point of view, you want your engine to support as many of the biggest hardware platforms as possible, as this gives you the best chance of making that money back.

    3. Though i would like it, personally i am not convinced after being released on the PC and Xbox that it would sell a lot in another year on the PS3. I think if we look at late game such as Bioshock and Mass Effect 2, sales were hit by quite a lot, i think because the buzz is gone at that point, but also the cost is a lot higher than you could get of a year old game.

    So i can see their problem really, 90 people making another version of the same game, or make a new game....BUT... at some point they need to get someone working on the PS3 Architecture if they want to release a game on that platform at some point.

  • geox30 #27 3 months ago

    This is one of those rare occasions that I would bought a Xbox360 just to be able to play this game,just as I bought a PS3 to play Uncharted 2.It is that good.

  • wattsn26 #28 3 months ago

    @Eurocensor If you read what I wrote in that article, I never said Microsoft shut down hundreds of games, I said there are hundreds of online games for the 360 that have been shut down.

    Regardless of the player count, Resistance 1 is still online, Resistance 2 is still online, Killzone 2 is still online, Uncharted 2 is still online...

    And apparently you have a bad memory because Microsoft did shut down the Halo 2 servers...

  • wattsn26 #29 3 months ago

    @makeamazing Mass Effect 2 sold a million units on PS3 a year later, with no advertising during a time when there were many PS3 exclusives and multiplats on the market.

    I doubt they expected them to sell the 3 million it sold on 360 but that in of itself is very impressive for a (initially) $60 year old game.

  • Zastai #30 3 months ago

    @freethinker101 Of course, after adjusting their engine for the PS3 (and there certainly is enough of a market to justify it - I was severely disappointed when they scrapped the console versions of Witcher 1), they will probably have a much easier time making their next game (whether Witcher 3 or something else) for PC+360+PS3 in one go.

    Having said that, if they decide to make Witcher 3 first and after that release the entire trilogy on PS3 that'd be good enough for me :-D

  • danhese007 #31 3 months ago

    The mere fact that you don't hear developers bitch about Sony's policies should tell the common person that Sony doesn't have sneaky policies and loops for developers to fly through before publishing their games on PS3.

  • smurfinaus #32 3 months ago

    Don't see what the problem is. Heck there's plenty of console games for which PC gamers had to wait a long time for the port over to PC :/.

  • Dinasis #33 3 months ago

    Developers are filled with a strong business voice just as they are with a creative voice. If it makes more financial sense to maneuver the console-makers' exclusivity policies than to make a multi-platform release from the start, they'll do it.

    Unlike Capcom with the Super... re-releases of Street Fighter games and the Colonies Edition of Lost Planet, CD Projekt RED has a history of being very generous to all its past customers (i.e. not making us buy a new copy). Look at how they handled the releases of the Enhanced Edition and Director's Cut for The Witcher and how they're handling the Dark Edition content and the other new content for the Xbox 360 version of The Witcher 2, not to mention The Witcher 2's 2.0 patch.

    It more than stands to reason that they will want to handle new content for a PS3 version of The Witcher 2 the same way, releasing it on PC (for free) and on Xbox 360 (paid, because of Microsoft's DLC policies)--they've even come out and said that's their plan (same news story, different sites).

    If Sony's policies prevent PS3-exclusive Witcher 2 content from reaching other platforms for longer than a month after release, I hope they just move on to The Witcher 2's sequel...and hopefully without calling it The Witch3r or The Witcher The Third.

  • Machiavellian #34 3 months ago

    A small company like CD has to carefull where they put their resources. If they did a PS3 port first and thought about the 360 later it would be the same decision. The time wasted doing a port of a game that will be 3 years old probably by the time they finished it compared to development on their new game is a decision that has to have enough finacial worth to do.

    Someone mentioned that for developers it's not hard to code for the PS3 and that may be true for developers that have coders experience on the PS3 arch but that is not the case for a PC dev who probably doesn't. It would be like starting new all over again and we know the results of that. Probably one of the main reasons CD started with the 360 is that it is easier to get developers up to speed with the arch and API thus giving them more time to tweak and make the game perform to a level they can live with. Trying to gain your chops on the PS3 for the first time especially if you are creating your own engine probably not what most developers want to do for their first console effort.

  • Snake_2011 #35 3 months ago

    Eurocensor sad how even common sense eludes you.

  • DRUNK3N-_-DRAGON #36 3 months ago

    fucking mass effect all over again! i want the first witcher for ps3!

  • Chrono_1205 #37 3 months ago

    @Eurocensor
    haha been playing the game for a year now on my pc . U xbots and ponys are so sad to listen too.

  • Widge #38 3 months ago

    @Eurocensor and? PC owners played it before you. Not really something to pick in the "I can play it before you woohoo" stakes.

  • cloudskipa #39 3 months ago

    @Snake_2011 I think it's a valid point though, it's kinda like asking could the Sega Saturn get a port of Final Fantasy VIII?

  • darm #40 3 months ago

    Oh well. I was going to get it for 360, but now I'll wait to see if they don't port it to my platform of choice. Guess that means one lost sale for 360 version though?

  • bad09 #41 3 months ago

    Watching certain fanboys turn an excellent dev like CDPR into ammo for the war makes me sad. Everyone should be able to experience their great game regardless of platform, instead of gloating PS3 doesn't have it you should be encouraging CDPR to expand and bring their games to as many gamers as possible so they can make more money and grow you tossers.

  • hiscore #42 3 months ago

    If it is done in the same way and with the same respect as Bioware's Mass Effect 2 was treated (with engine upgrade and extra content).. then please be welcome. Rather this (late re-release) than simultaneous cross platform releases with one clear loser (technically).

  • uknortherner2000 #43 3 months ago

    @berryl227 "Anyway just so you know your now on ignore !"

    Just out of interest, how have you managed to do this? I can't find an Ignore option anywhere!

  • cloudskipa #44 3 months ago

    @bad09 It's not our decision though is it, it makes no odds or ends what we say in a comments section, get a grip. CDPR will make a lot of money from the 360 port and it will help them to grow yes.

  • Skirlasvoud #45 3 months ago

    I hope they make it for the PS, if only to see the reactions of a Azian gaming audience.

    Yes you people popularized RPG's for us. But now, after about a decade, this is what we did with it... Here, have a taste of our own finest!
    Edited by Skirlasvoud at 15/02/12 @ 10:41

  • bad09 #46 3 months ago

    @cloudskipa

    I know it's not your decision of course, but it just seems wrong for console prats to try to get one over "the other side" instead of supporting the idea of CDPR selling to as many people as possible and growing to a bigger dev.

    As an example when they announced the 360 version, instead of moaning how they "sold out" like many PC gamers do I was nothing but happy for them to branch out and earn more and also for the 360 players who will enjoy it and it's a real shame PS3 guys can't join in, hopefully they will in future.
    Edited by bad09 at 15/02/12 @ 10:59

  • Wizard83 #47 3 months ago

    I would buy this on my PS for sure

  • cloudskipa #48 3 months ago

    @bad09 A real shame? I don't think so. I'm picking up a distinct sense of "gamers entitlement" with some of the comments here, they don't owe you this game on PS3. If anyone wants to play it bad enough then do so on a PC or a 360, this is what exclusives are all about. (support the devs that way if you care so much about their financial situation)

    It's like someone moaning they can't play Uncharted on PC and how we are all selfish bastards for not thinking it would be better for everyone concerned if they branched out to multiplatform so we can all play their games and Naughty Dog can make even more money.

    I disagree, exclusives are a good thing for the industry, you win some you lose some and I have nothing against anyone who doesn't particularly care whether it comes out on a platform they don't own or they're not interested in. Why should they? Of course, you've already branded people who think like this as fanboys..
    Edited by cloudskipa at 15/02/12 @ 12:09

  • bad09 #49 3 months ago

    @cloudskipa

    Meh, exclusives hurt consumers who are forced to shell out hundred of pounds for a handful of games they can't play on their own hardware and limit sales when they don't hit people who won't spend that money on more hardware. Also it's nothing like wanting uncharted on PC, CDPR is an independent dev not paid by proprietary hardware makers so they can sell to whoever wants it if and when they have the resources.

    All gamers should be able to play all the games IMO but then I am a person that thinks the model of proprietary hardware for this game or that game is an outdated concept in the modern technical world of integration and connectivity and honestly doubt it will be around in it's current form after a hardware generation or 2 the early signs of that direction are already starting to show even now with Sony looking at expanding PSN on other devices and MS trying to tie the xbox brand with windows and phones.
    Edited by bad09 at 15/02/12 @ 12:20

  • ronecvan_is_here #50 3 months ago

    @Euro censor, probably because your beloved company M$ forbids games to be released later than other platforms and have much tighter rules and constrictions on submission of games, which is why your console doesn't have cross-platform play on portal 2 and a lack of MMO's, you've trolled on the past few Ps3 relaated articles and its frankly getting boring.

  • ronecvan_is_here #51 3 months ago

    @Eurocensor MS has payed for timed exclusive deals before, notably more higher profile than Sony's deals. I'm referring to Episodes of Liberty city & COD map packs for a total of around 50 million dollars, check up on gamasutra.

  • ronecvan_is_here #52 3 months ago

    @Eurocensor And your the guy failing at trolling another PS3 related article, if can't afford the Ps3 or despise it with fiery passion, better to troll elsewhere than post 'subjective facts' than put forward your own opinion. And yes XBL actually has shut down hundreds of games that fell below a certain metacritic & user score, whether that's good or bad is up to you.

  • ronecvan_is_here #53 3 months ago

    @cloudskipa difference being that Naughty Dog is owned by sony, and CDPR isn't privately owned by some other company. That said, the developers will always take the commercially viable option, and porting a game on the ps3 is no easy task as most developers have found out. But its been done before, so who knows.