Witcher Creator Reveals CD Projekt Red Rare to Seek Input on New Saga
The Witcher Creator Andrzej Sapkowski Confirms Minimal Involvement in New Game Development
Andrzej Sapkowski, the acclaimed author behind The Witcher novel series, recently revealed that the development team at CD Projekt Red (CDPR) has rarely sought his creative advice for the upcoming major installment, The Witcher IV. This disclosure came during an event publicizing his latest novel, Crossroads of Ravens.
Excellent Contract, Rare Consultations
Sapkowski confirmed that his current contractual agreements with the game developers are “excellent,” and he hopes they remain that way. However, he admitted that while CDPR used to occasionally reach out to him for advice and lore details during the development of the original trilogy, contact has now dwindled. The author stated the studio “barely” asks for his input on the new game, a stark contrast to the earlier years of the franchise’s video game adaptation.
CD Projekt Red is currently developing The Witcher IV using Unreal Engine 5. The game marks the start of a new saga for the franchise, focusing on a different protagonist, Ciri, Geralt of Rivia’s adoptive daughter. The new story direction, which appears to be moving further away from Geralt’s timeline which the books concluded, is seemingly being handled primarily by CDPR’s own seasoned writers and creative leads. This suggests a growing confidence within CDPR to steer the narrative direction of the world they have significantly expanded across the globe.
Sapkowski’s New Novel and The Witcher Lore
Despite the minimal direct consultation, Sapkowski’s new prequel novel, Crossroads of Ravens, has been mentioned as a potential source of inspiration for The Witcher IV, just as his prior work influenced The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. The prequel explores events that predate Geralt’s main adventures, which could provide deeper mythological threads for CDPR to incorporate into their new saga.
It is worth noting that Sapkowski has previously expressed his feelings about certain lore points in the games, such as the idea of different Witcher schools, which he has publicly described as being based on a single, ultimately “incorrect” sentence from one of his earlier works. He stated that the “video game people have clung to the idea with remarkable tenacity.” This historical context further explains the increasingly separate creative paths of the book author and the game developers.
 origin: gamingbolt
THIS IS our take
Sapkowski’s comment confirms what many have suspected: the game world has fully outgrown its literary cradle, becoming an entity defined by CD Projekt Red’s own vision. Considering the original Witcher trilogy is now a masterpiece of video game storytelling that successfully continued and expanded the lore, CDPR’s reliance on their internal team makes perfect sense. They have earned the right to tell their new story. The author getting his money and the developers getting their creative freedom feels like the most amicable and, frankly, best arrangement for everyone, ensuring the new saga truly becomes their own creation.
