Original developer reflects on the unrealized Witcher game, calling its demise “absolute idiocy,” but expresses admiration for CD Projekt Red’s success with the series.

Before CD Projekt Red took the reins of The Witcher franchise, the series was initially set to be adapted by Polish developer Metropolis Software. The studio’s founder, who actually coined the name “The Witcher” for author Andrzej Sapkowski, reflects on the decision not to contest CD Projekt’s development of the game.

In a conversation, Metropolis co-founder Adrian Chmielarz shared that he first met Sapkowski at sci-fi and fantasy conventions. He reached out to Sapkowski, expressing his desire to create a game based on his short stories. Chmielarz noted, “If anyone knows anything about Mr. Sapkowski, they know he doesn’t really care about what happens to his characters outside of his own universe. So he was like, ‘oh, fine, you want to do what, a game? That’s OK. Show me the money and it’s yours.'”

Despite this initial enthusiasm, Metropolis Software never launched The Witcher, a situation Chmielarz attributes to “absolute idiocy.” He explained that the studio made a common mistake among smaller developers: instead of scaling up to handle multiple projects, they overextended themselves by trying to juggle four games at once, leading to financial troubles.

Chmielarz also mentioned that the publisher at the time, TopWare Interactive, decided to shelve The Witcher due to its limited recognition outside Poland. They prioritized other projects that had better sales potential in markets like Germany, effectively sidelining The Witcher without an official cancellation.

In 2002, CD Projekt Red signed a deal with Sapkowski to create a game based on the franchise. Although Chmielarz believed his own agreement was still valid, he ultimately felt indifferent about it. “I knew I wouldn’t be able to finish The Witcher, so I said, ‘OK, never mind. I hope they make a great game,'” he remarked.

Looking back, Chmielarz expressed satisfaction with how things turned out, stating, “I’m super happy that they did, because I love these worlds. I love what they’ve done. They’ve done a much better game.” He concluded that the outcome was for the best, as it surpassed what Metropolis could have achieved with the title.