Polish developer Cd Projekt are wizards, managing to make the most of the hardware afforded them. They did incredible things with the Witcher 2 on Pc, and even made the Xbox 360 version of the game look surprisingly good. Its delicious sequel, The Witcher 3 is coming to PS4 and Xbox One – and its developer reckons the Xbox One is easier to work with.
In a feature on Witcher 3 over at Eurogamer, said that the Xbox One will get more powerful with time; which is a given really. As people become more familiar with how to do things, they’ll be able to squeeze more out of the hardware.
"I saw how Microsoft opened up certain parts that they hid before from developers," CD Projekt’s Balázs Török said. "They opened them up, like, ‘OK now you can have this back door, and it’s risky but you can do this and that…’ This is how developers learned a little bit more and more every step. From Microsoft it was a good way to do it – to always let the developers do a little bit more."
That doesn’t mean there’s some magical secret sauce hidden in the Xbox One hardware though, nor is Török speaking of that mystical cloud that Microsoft says will make the Xbox One better.
"It’s not like they would open up new hardware or anything – there’s nothing new in there," Török cautioned. "It’s new ways to do something. Both companies are already using all the knowledge they have from previous products to make the API tailored to games … so I expect that they will do something like, ‘OK now you can do this; it’s extremely risky – only do this if you know what you’re doing! But you can do this.’
"It will happen, eventually, but right now we are preparing for it."
He does,, however, feel that Microsoft’s Xbox one is the easier machine to develop for – mostly because the API’s are what you’d expect from Pc development, while Sony’s are a little more alien.
"The Xbox One is pretty easy to understand because not just the hardware is similar to the PC, but everything like the SDK, the API is really similar to what you would find on a PC," Török noted.
That’s in stark contrast to many other developers, who find the Xbox One and its ESRAM a bit fiddly. In the end though, it doesn’t matter which platform you play it on, the Witcher 3 is going to impress the hell out of you.
Last Updated: November 29, 2013
oVg
November 29, 2013 at 09:22
I suppose their marketing does not want to look bias, even when they called Microsoft out over the fact that Poland was not getting any XBone support for the first year.
In other news, The PS4 will become more powerful with time.
SargonTheGreatPandaOfAkkad
November 29, 2013 at 10:29
What is this magick? Has Sony finally learnt to leash the power of Cthulu? Will they razzle dazzle some potent sorcery? Or have they signed a pact with Sauron and linked the PS4 with the One Ring?
Jack
November 29, 2013 at 10:44
You’re all about the ps4 fanboy much?
oVg
November 29, 2013 at 10:44
Not a PS4 fanboy, just a Bone hater.
Jack
November 29, 2013 at 10:52
Wow lol Kinect 2 is still alot better than anything out there. Xbox + Kinect is awsome maybe your paranoid about the nsa ? Anyway im done wasting my time on you
Spathi
November 29, 2013 at 10:53
BWAHAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAH! Made my day, thanks Jack!
RyseandRepeat
November 29, 2013 at 10:54
Good. Fuck off.
oVg
November 29, 2013 at 11:30
now now, we all fall under different target demographics. He likes Kinect Animals while I like Alan Wake.
He wins because he is what Microsoft is aiming towards.
oVg
November 29, 2013 at 11:33
http://gifrific.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Boy-That-Escalated-Quickly-Anchorman.gif
Gr8_Balls_o_Fire
December 2, 2013 at 10:28
This fool is terribly misinformed
Jerry Teach
January 26, 2014 at 22:20
Its hardly paranoia when our government is continually found guilty of it over the last 10 years. You may prefer to remain a sleeping sheep but some of us prefer our freedom and privacy.
Shawn
April 15, 2014 at 08:33
You do know you can unplug the Kinnect right?
Jerry Teach
May 4, 2014 at 02:46
Your missing the point…
RyseandRepeat
November 29, 2013 at 10:54
And you are all about the Xbox One fanboy much. His statement is correct, Poland was not in the list of initial releases of the Xbox One.
Spathi
November 29, 2013 at 10:54
Dude, don’t waste your time. Go and have a look at his previous comments. He calls everyone that doesn’t want to have sex with the XBO a PS4 fanboy.
RyseandRepeat
November 29, 2013 at 10:56
Hahha. I know, I am sitting in bed (work cancelled due to possible riots) and am bored. I know the loser, was baiting 😉
Jack
November 29, 2013 at 11:10
Ahh lol what was i expecting:| South Africa = Sony so calling me a loser is kinda retarded my friend 🙂
Jack
November 29, 2013 at 11:08
Shame on you i defend it not a Xbox fanboy!
Jack
November 29, 2013 at 11:08
Amm fyi im fully master race and i have owned 2 playstation’s. Im just pointing out all you ps4 fanboys don’t like it ? Then maybe you should fuck off 🙂
RyseandRepeat
November 29, 2013 at 11:09
I don’t own a PS fool.
Jack
November 29, 2013 at 11:12
Wow but you yet you judge Ahh lol epic fail ^.^
oVg
November 29, 2013 at 09:24
http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2013/06/12/cd-projekt-red-reacts-to-lack-of-xbox-one-in-poland.aspx
Captain GUZ
November 29, 2013 at 09:27
I love CD projekt, they are one of the best developers ever! NO DRM, witcher 3 and cyperpunk 2077 FTW!!!
Hammersteyn
November 29, 2013 at 09:33
Cyperpunk 2077almost forgot about that.
Alien Emperor Trevor
November 29, 2013 at 09:35
My single upvote comes with the power of 10,000,000 suns!
Admiral Chief Duke
November 29, 2013 at 09:40
And mine comes from those 10 000 000 suns going supernova
Hammersteyn
November 29, 2013 at 09:42
http://31.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4r33ngC8p1rqg00io4_250.gif
oVg
November 29, 2013 at 09:48
lol
That Tall Twit
November 29, 2013 at 09:54
Haha
Captain GUZ
November 29, 2013 at 09:55
LOL
RyseandRepeat
November 29, 2013 at 10:20
HAHAHAH WINNER
ToshZA
November 29, 2013 at 10:48
Dude, your form is back. WIN. 😀
Admiral Chief Duke
November 29, 2013 at 09:40
Amen brudda, amen
Sir Rants-a-Lot Llew
November 29, 2013 at 09:36
Confession bear time: I didn’t enjoy Witcher2 *cringes away from incoming hate*
Alien Emperor Trevor
November 29, 2013 at 09:37
HAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
JHN
November 29, 2013 at 09:38
People have been hung for less dude.
Admiral Chief Duke
November 29, 2013 at 09:39
WHAT?
Ag nee LC, ag nee
oVg
November 29, 2013 at 09:42
The Witcher 2 breaths fire all over Dragon Age.
It was an acquired taste. Now if it had a tighter combat system, something more like Assassins Creed and not all that fiddly game play that was intended for the keyboard then it would have been a Skyrim killer for me.
The mature Narrative and very funny script hooked me. Even after 3 plays I see totally new story branches.
The Witcher 3 = Skyrim Killer
Admiral Chief Duke
November 29, 2013 at 09:42
Apparently the combat rebalance mod made it much nicer, I’ve yet to mod mine
Alien Emperor Trevor
November 29, 2013 at 09:44
It does make a big difference to combat, just seems to flow better.
oVg
November 29, 2013 at 09:46
Does the 360 version also get the update?
Alien Emperor Trevor
November 29, 2013 at 09:49
Nope, it’s an unofficial mod made by one of the devs.
oVg
November 29, 2013 at 09:49
Darn PC overlords
Alien Emperor Trevor
November 29, 2013 at 09:52
Are you still thinking of joining our ranks?
oVg
November 29, 2013 at 09:54
I still have to have a wash and get rid of the lice before being allowed into upper town.
Alien Emperor Trevor
November 29, 2013 at 09:58
So you’re thinking of a Linux-based PC then…
Admiral Chief Duke
November 29, 2013 at 09:58
XD
oVg
November 29, 2013 at 10:05
with conditioner
RyseandRepeat
November 29, 2013 at 10:22
PLEASE. He will never join. He spends all his days in front of an Apple, anything that looks like it makes him cringe. Oh, and he’s also old school gamer 😉
Alien Emperor Trevor
November 29, 2013 at 10:29
At his age everything is old school. BOOM!
RyseandRepeat
November 29, 2013 at 10:29
OUCH!
Sir Rants-a-Lot Llew
November 29, 2013 at 09:44
I think it was the fiddly combat part that put me off to be honest.
The story seemed very cool and all though
JHN
November 29, 2013 at 11:31
The thing I love most about it is the choices, other games give you a choice but then give you the opportunity to fix it later on and so forth, But Witcher 2 you make a bad choice shit happens thats your choice and theres no turning back (unless you load an earlier save) choices that matter made that game.
Rikus
November 29, 2013 at 09:36
Uhm….yeah…
Spathi
November 29, 2013 at 09:48
“The Xbox One is pretty easy to understand because not just the hardware is similar to the PC, but everything like the SDK, the API is really similar to what you would find on a PC,”; AND
“That’s in stark contrast to many other developers, who find the Xbox One and its ESRAM a bit fiddly. ”
Being easier to develop for and getting the most out of the system is 100% the same thing though.
CypherGate
November 29, 2013 at 10:00
This is one game im truly waiting for.
RyseandRepeat
November 29, 2013 at 10:17
Ya, well, when they are waiting for the machine to finally land on their soil I am sure that backdoor will look different…
SargonTheGreatPandaOfAkkad
November 29, 2013 at 10:27
Backdoors always look different when they’ve travelled half way around the world.
RyseandRepeat
November 29, 2013 at 10:30
OHHH! Deep! 😉
Alien Emperor Trevor
November 29, 2013 at 10:31
O_O Erm… what… EXACTLY is deep?
Unavengedavo(aka. MadeYouLook)
November 29, 2013 at 10:39
Well they are talking about “backdoors”
64bit
November 29, 2013 at 12:28
This is clear already just look how well optimized the xbox one titles are compared to the PS4 version.
Always remember its better to trust Microsoft and buy an xbox one now and just believe everything they report as the truth. Even gaming magazines print their PR blurbs verbatim and never have an opinion for or against so they must be always telling the truth.
Millenia Blue
January 29, 2014 at 09:36
LOL! you’re joking!!
Brian Murphy
November 29, 2013 at 18:53
Isn’t the PC’s resource wasting API the reason devs prefer consoles? Or did I miss that boat? Also, AMD’s new Mantle API is supposedly a low level set of tools that are a direct challenge to the DX protocol and specifically designed for AMD’s GCN architecture…which is what are in both the PS4 and One.
So, we’ll have to see if developers start using that, and how that translates to a better gaming experience.
Lars Anderson
November 29, 2013 at 20:03
Meanwhile, I’ll be playing it on PC.
Millenia Blue
January 29, 2014 at 08:42
Finally! A developer that understands the Xbox One’s hardware! I was going to get Witcher 3 anyway! Now I’m more happy to get it for my Xbox One! 🙂