The Creation and Essence of The Witcher | Retrospective While Waiting for The Witcher 4 | Part 1/5

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Published on November 3, 2024 12:00:00 AM ● Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNAL4TtXnYc

Game:

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (2015)

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If video games inspired by The Witcher universe—known as Le Sorceleur in French—had already experienced modest success, with around 1.5 to 2 million units sold for the first game, and between 4 and 7 million units for the second depending on the source, it wasn't until the third installment in 2015 that the series truly exploded. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt surpassed 50 million sales, more than the previous two combined. This resounding success has cemented the franchise and its developers, CD Projekt Red, as some of the biggest names in the industry. The game's achievements weren't just limited to sales, as it also received widespread praise from critics and fans alike, with some even claiming that The Witcher 3 marked a before-and-after moment in the RPG genre. The success was so immense that it led to the creation of a Netflix series, which, while divisive, introduced many new fans to this rich universe.

After experiencing the peak of the series with The Witcher 3, like many of you, I wanted to dive deeper into the universe by revisiting the first two games and exploring the books. In this retrospective series, which will be made up of several videos, culminating in a long-form video, I aim to share what I’ve learned. Don't worry, we will also touch briefly on the films, series, and other media like comics.

In this first video, I will focus on the beginnings of CD Projekt Red, the early stages of The Witcher's development, the work of Andrzej Sapkowski, often considered the Polish Tolkien, some basic lore to understand the world, and one of the most crucial aspects of the games: the concept of choice, which explores different facets of good and evil. We’ll also take a moment to reflect on fictional immersion as a whole.

Books and Collections:
Sapkowski, Andrzej. The Last Wish, Bragelonne, 2019.
Sapkowski, Andrzej. Sword of Destiny. Bragelonne, 2020.
Sapkowski, Andrzej. Blood of Elves. Bragelonne, 2020.
Sapkowski, Andrzej. Time of Contempt. Bragelonne, 2020.
Sapkowski, Andrzej. Baptism of Fire. Bragelonne, 2020.
Sapkowski, Andrzej. The Tower of the Swallow. Bragelonne, 2020.
Sapkowski, Andrzej. The Lady of the Lake. Bragelonne, 2021.
Sapkowski, Andrzej. Season of Storms. Bragelonne, 2021.
Video Games:
CD Projekt Red. The Witcher. Atari, 2007. PC.
CD Projekt Red. The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings. Atari, 2011. PC, Xbox 360.
CD Projekt Red. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. CD Projekt, 2015. PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch.
CD Projekt Red. The Witcher: Battle Arena. CD Projekt, 2015. Mobile.
CD Projekt Red. Gwent: The Witcher Card Game. CD Projekt, 2018. PC, PS4, Xbox One.
CD Projekt Red. Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales. CD Projekt, 2018. PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch.
Films and Series:
Brodzki, Marek (dir.) The Hexer. Poland: Zespół Filmowy "Tessa", 2001.
Barra, Declan (dir.) The Witcher: Blood Origin. Netflix, 2022.
Hissrich, Lauren Schmidt (creator). The Witcher. Netflix, 2019-present.
Han, Kwang Il (dir.) The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf. Netflix, 2021.
Hissrich, Lauren Schmidt (creator). The Witcher: Blood Origin. Netflix, 2022.
Francophone Authors Who Wrote About The Witcher:
Benoît “EXSERV” Reinier, L’ascension de The Witcher: un nouveau roi du RPG. Third Editions, 2019.
Marion, Adrien. Les multiples vies de The Witcher: du livre au jeu vidéo. Third Editions, 2019.
Lamy, Brice. The Witcher: aux sources du rêve. Third Editions, 2021.

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