One of the games I’ve been most excited for this year, The Witcher 3, has been delayed to 2015. In an open letter to fans, developer CD Projekt RED said that they’re delaying the game to add an extra layer of polish.
“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,” the letter says.
They’re sorry to make you wait – but that wait, they say, will be worth it.
“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.”
When I got to see the Witcher 3 running in front of my eyeballs, I was blown away by how fluid the whole thing was, as well as how graphically impressive it was. I just hope that by next year, it still has the power to impress. We’ve seen it before with things like Alan Wake and even Watch Dogs, where the advancements in graphical fidelity make as yet unreleased games that blew our minds seem a little underwhelming when they finally do hit shelves.
So the Witcher 3 is coming in February 2015 – which is probably good news for Dragon Age: Inquisition, as that’s still on track for this year.
You can read the full open letter by clicking the toggle below.
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.
Last Updated: March 12, 2014
Kensei Seraph
March 12, 2014 at 07:56
Well at least there won’t be a Day 1 patch.
Hammersteyn
March 12, 2014 at 08:02
Or run at single digit frames per second.
Brenz
March 12, 2014 at 08:15
Or be excluded from a specific region.
Hammersteyn
March 12, 2014 at 08:00
I’m BACK! Was volunteering at a soup kitchen for TItanfall victims suffering from shock,depression and rage. Sad news indeed. Seeing how we are only in March now.
Admiral Chief of comments
March 12, 2014 at 08:04
March of the Titans? Or did they fall…
Hammersteyn
March 12, 2014 at 08:07
Well March is the first month of Autumn or as the yanks say…. Fall
Umar Praise The Golden Sun
March 12, 2014 at 08:05
LOL You’re such a good human….Helping victims with post-traumatic Titanfall disorder
Hammersteyn
March 12, 2014 at 08:08
It’s bad, I’ve trolled so many people in the pub and on Whatsapp. Starting my sentence with “So… Titanfall eh?”
Umar Praise The Golden Sun
March 12, 2014 at 08:30
Lolz….Trolling this thing has been one of the funnest things this year
Kensei Seraph
March 12, 2014 at 08:32
The years still young.
Imagine what laughs we have still to come.
Brenz
March 12, 2014 at 08:33
E3 will bring much more ammo and laughs a plenty after the much anticipated Xbone announcement.
Hammersteyn
March 12, 2014 at 08:34
To bad Xbone only lands in October, could have had so much more.
Unavengedavo(aka. Bilbo)
March 12, 2014 at 08:39
I prefer to start with “So that graphics of 1313 eh”… It cut so much deeper 😀
Kensei Seraph
March 12, 2014 at 08:43
Too soon. Several decades too soon.
Alien Emperor Trevor
March 12, 2014 at 08:46
1313’s power point presentation still has a better frame rate than Titanfall.
Unavengedavo(aka. Bilbo)
March 12, 2014 at 08:50
And I bet it can run at 1080P
Admiral Chief of comments
March 12, 2014 at 08:52
BOOOOOOM
http://d24w6bsrhbeh9d.cloudfront.net/photo/aeN2V0W_460sa.gif
VampyreSquirrel
March 12, 2014 at 09:08
I think he just changed “zip codes”
ZumaIsPoes
March 12, 2014 at 08:01
honesty is the best policy…
will need to find a copy of the witcher 1 and 2 so i can join the band wagon
VampyreSquirrel
March 12, 2014 at 09:09
It’s a band wagon that’s totally worth jumping on
Admiral Chief of comments
March 12, 2014 at 09:14
Choo choooooo
Unavengedavo(aka. Bilbo)
March 12, 2014 at 09:17
I got both for cheap on steam the other day 😀
VampyreSquirrel
March 12, 2014 at 09:40
I’ve got both original for PC and 2 for Xbox 360 😛
Admiral Chief of comments
March 12, 2014 at 08:03
Ah, so Witcher 3 for my birthday then, I can dig it
Alien Emperor Trevor
March 12, 2014 at 08:09
Well that just ruined my morning.
Who cares about Dragon Age Spend All Your Lunch Money On Microtransactions & DLC While Expecting The Inquisition.
Hammersteyn
March 12, 2014 at 08:11
Oh yeah… EA. Hopes dashed!
Brenz
March 12, 2014 at 08:12
Disappointing but I can accept that.
It is one of the games I am most looking forward to, I was only going to buy the ps4 when it came out anyway. I have high expectations for this game, so if they need to polish to deliver on that then by all means, please do so instead of releasing a sub par product.
There do seem to be more delays and push backs of release dates lately though, hope it doesnt become a new fad.
Ryanza
March 12, 2014 at 08:18
There goes the only game I was going to buy for the year because DRM just doesn’t appeal to me anymore.
Here’s hoping for 2 games I can buy next year, The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077.
Do not support DRM.
Hammersteyn
March 12, 2014 at 08:19
Never have and never will. Console games might take the short bus to school but the are still free of DRM (Diablo 3).
Brenz
March 12, 2014 at 08:26
Not all consoles seem to have to the same opinion regarding DRM….
Hammersteyn
March 12, 2014 at 08:36
Luckily they can “flip the switch”
Ryanza
March 12, 2014 at 08:28
Don’t cry for me The Witcher
The truth is I never left you
All through my illegal download days
My mad DRM existence
I kept my promise
Don’t keep your delays
Admiral Chief of comments
March 12, 2014 at 08:38
XD
UltimateNinjaPandaDudeGuy
March 13, 2014 at 13:23
That was beautiful!
iAmWeasel
March 12, 2014 at 08:28
This is IT.. deadlines are not met, it is the natural order of things.
DeeRealz
March 12, 2014 at 08:34
Great that gives me enough time to play the first two games.
Mossel
March 12, 2014 at 08:36
Im good with this. Now I can splurge my december bonus on a new gpu and possibly mobo. My pc’s body will be ready.
Alien Emperor Trevor
March 12, 2014 at 08:42
Yes, good plan. I was only planning to get a new gpu at the end of this year. Works out perfectly.
Mossel
March 12, 2014 at 08:47
What difference does a mobo make? Because I probably dont need a new one. I just want one! lol. But yeah, definitely a new gpu. Maybe even new cpu, my one has been giving my all kinds of shit.
Admiral Chief of comments
March 12, 2014 at 08:51
Not much, rather invest in SSD, best investment I’ve made!
Alien Emperor Trevor
March 12, 2014 at 08:54
I want an SSD, but I’ll wait until a build a new box. I’m too lazy to reinstall my OS lol
Willem Swanepoel
March 12, 2014 at 08:55
LOL, that is the same reason why I do not have a SSD 🙂
Admiral Chief of comments
March 12, 2014 at 08:56
Haha. Lazy Alien
Mossel
March 12, 2014 at 08:55
Oh little one, that investment was made months ago! xD
Like you said: Best investment evaaar!!
Willem Swanepoel
March 12, 2014 at 08:53
You only buy a MOBO because your new CPU does not fit the old one.
I am currently sitting with a big mother fking issue. My Sandybridge mobo broke, my CPU is still running like a champion but now paying for a new MOBO is a poor investment because the Ivybridge is available now and the price tag is the same.
New sandybridge mobo or a ivybridge mobo + cpu … PC is an expensive hobby 😉
Mossel
March 12, 2014 at 09:01
Ah man, you are in pickle. What about Hashwell? Or is that a bit too expensive? But most games aren’t that cpu intensive, so I’d say go for the cheaper option if it won’t make a difference.
Willem Swanepoel
March 12, 2014 at 10:21
Gone through loads of review sites about the Hashwell, it is a poor piece of tech. Runs a lot hotter, got loads of issues. Staying away from Hashwell…
Mossel
March 12, 2014 at 12:15
Yeah Ivy also runs hot! My i7 runs at about 65-75 when I play certain games.
ToshZA
March 12, 2014 at 11:10
Intel did that on purpose. One thing I can say, if you’re using a discreet graphics card, there’s NO reason to upgrade to Ivy Bridge. Just get a motherboard with PCIe 3.0 and you’re good for a long while.
VampyreSquirrel
March 12, 2014 at 09:06
I HAVE to get mobo, cpu, ram, AND gpu *cries silently inside*
Kensei Seraph
March 12, 2014 at 09:14
Mobo, cpu, ram, gpu, wireless card and psu for me.
VampyreSquirrel
March 12, 2014 at 09:16
The Admiral (I think it was) laughed at my current specs a couple months back… that should tell you how bad it is lol
Kensei Seraph
March 12, 2014 at 09:21
I think if I told him mine he might hurt himself when he falls off his chair.
VampyreSquirrel
March 12, 2014 at 09:41
Yeah, I think he hurt himself when I told him mine
Admiral Chief of comments
March 12, 2014 at 09:42
*AHEM*
Admiral Chief of comments
March 12, 2014 at 09:42
I won’t laugh, but now I’m curious
Admiral Chief of comments
March 12, 2014 at 09:42
Not me, would never laugh at someone’s PC specs, unless its a MAC, in while case NOT A PC, and LULZ
Mossel
March 12, 2014 at 09:18
Godspeed Squirrel! And how does your wallet feel about this?
VampyreSquirrel
March 12, 2014 at 09:28
My wallet doesn’t like the idea very much, neither does my wife 😛
Admiral Chief of comments
March 12, 2014 at 09:42
Just show her yer nuts and all will be ok
VampyreSquirrel
March 12, 2014 at 09:43
I can do a pretty decent upgrade for R5800 though
Mossel
March 12, 2014 at 12:14
That is pretty decent! Compare that to me aiming on spending about R6000 on a new gpu and either cpu or mobo!
ToshZA
March 12, 2014 at 11:08
Motherboard is basically the road that everything runs on. If it has potholes, you’re going to have to drive carefully. If it’s smooth and well maintained, everything runs like a dream!
Mossel
March 12, 2014 at 12:13
Being in the construction business myself you couldn’t have explained that better in any way! lol! My mobo was defective so Asus replaced it for me, now my cpu is giving problems (not really problems but running very warm where it used to run cool) after about a year. So I think there might be something wrong. Do you know a good way to test a mobo?
ToshZA
March 12, 2014 at 15:01
If the CPU is running warm I’d check your cooling, sometimes dust collects and you have to clear that out. A few good blows work wonders. Its something most people don’t check for. That doesn’t sound like a motherboard problem. If you were experiencing performance that isn’t what you’d expect, blue screens and the like, that’s more a motherboard issue.
Mossel
March 12, 2014 at 15:04
LOL! The only thing I got from this was: “A few good blows work wonders.”
But yeah I’ve done everything. I did get BSODs at one stage, but reseated my heatsink and it seems better, not great, but better. I haven’t had a game crash in about a month – so I’m feeling lucky.
ToshZA
March 12, 2014 at 15:08
That’s a good amount of time without hassle. CPU temperature is 99% of the time cooling though, so you should always check that first. I’ve messed up a CPU or 2 by putting either too much, or too little thermal paste on. That could also have affected it, but reseating sounds like it’s solved the issue to a degree. As mentioned, you’ve probably not got the optimal amount of thermal paste on.
Also, lol! Yeah typical. Figures that’s all people would get from that.
Unavengedavo(aka. Bilbo)
March 12, 2014 at 08:42
It seems as though developers and publishers are realizing that releasing a half assed game is actually ruining their reputation. How many games have now been held back to “polish” it before release? Seems like they are listening to the public and learning from EA’s mistakes
CAE9872
March 13, 2014 at 10:27
Very good point.
The other side to that is why keep announcing release dates in first place. Announce your game so it gets the marketing machine moving perhaps but don’t release a date until you are sure.
My most anticipated game of 2014 is Destiny. But I don’t know if Bungie can deliver on what they promising in the time they have despite all the work that has gone into it. I really hope they can/do but if it is a bug-filled mess what’s the point (they solid company with few major issues in past so hopes are high for no problems). I mean announcing a release date a year out seems crazy. Anything can, and usually does, go wrong.
VampyreSquirrel
March 12, 2014 at 08:42
Not a bad thing for me… allows me to save up to upgrade my pc 🙂
El Capitan del Blade
March 12, 2014 at 09:09
Same…. At least we’ve got a cocrete month now… 🙂
oOqUiS
March 12, 2014 at 08:46
I’m not a RPG fan at all. I played dragon age 2 for a while last night and it was NASTY. But these next-gen RPG’s got my fullest attention, especially Withcer 3.
Mossel
March 12, 2014 at 09:02
DA2 was, according to most gamers, one of the owrst rpgs in recent years. Play Witcher 2 first if you haven’t already.
Admiral Chief of comments
March 12, 2014 at 09:07
I second this comment (I don’t however, second the misspelling of WORST)
😛
Mossel
March 12, 2014 at 09:20
Typo! *fixed
oOqUiS
March 12, 2014 at 09:30
I’m planning on getting Witcher 2 this weekend. If Skyrim comes to PS4 i’ll give it a go, It’s very good iv’e heard.
Mossel
March 12, 2014 at 09:32
Both of them are excellent rpgs! Cant really compare them though, very different to each other! You will definitely enjoy it!
ToshZA
March 12, 2014 at 11:07
Witcher 2 is really amazing. I’m thinking of installing it again for another playthrough.
Rock789
March 12, 2014 at 10:12
I applaud their honesty. And it’ll be great to get a game that is 100% complete and not needing a moerse groot Day-1 patch.
But, I’m now inconsolable with grief due to the delay… Seriously sad Panda…
**jumps out of window… Forgetting he works on the ground floor!**
Brady miaau
March 12, 2014 at 11:37
This is, for me at least, a sad event.
I would rather they, the developers, are happy and proud of their product before we get it.
Proven track record and all that
Abyss
March 12, 2014 at 13:08
And here i just finished playing 1 and 2 for the second time in preparation for 3. Wait, now it means i can play it again later for another refresh, no biggey then. Now the only game i am looking forward to is Don Bradman Cricket.