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The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt announced for 2014

Third game in the Witcher series sees Geralt go open world for all "high-end platforms" in 2014.

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The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt has been officially announced by Polish developer CD Projekt Red. The game will be released in 2014 and will be coming to PCs as well as all other "high-end platforms."

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The main source of inspiration for The Witcher 3 seems to be The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, with Geralt's third adventure taking on a more open-world role without acts and chapters.

According to the GameInformer reveal (digested via NeoGAF), the world will be 20 percent bigger than Skyrim's and will take up to 40 minutes to traverse from one end to the other on horseback. The new version of the proprietary Red engine features new streaming technology designed to minimize load times.

Right now The Witcher 3's visuals are running on an old renderer that will be upgraded before the game is released next year. "Right now you see the game in the old renderer, but it's going to be taken to a truly next level," says gameplay producer Marek Ziemak.

The game's quests and narratives are being designed around an interwoven three-tier structure, with Geralt's personal plot sitting at the top and feeding into the invasion of Nilfgaardian and then into typical quests like monster hunting and crafting.

Monster hunting promises to be far more in-depth this time around, with redesigned enemy AI and a much larger focus on gathering clues and information from townsfolk and books before engaging enemies. Factors like the time of day also affect where monsters will appear and their abilities. You can learn that it is possible to kill a vampire in one hit by stabbing both its hearts simultaneously, for instance.

The game's skill trees, magic signs, and inventory will also be tweaked, with CD Projekt Red admitting that many found The Witcher 2's inventory frustrating. Spells can be modified and developed, with Igni now having a new flamethrower effect and also the ability to be transformed into a 360-degree blast.

The Witcher games are based on a famous series of novels by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski and revolve around Geralt of Rivia, a member of the socially maligned but powerful monster-hunting Witchers.

In The Witcher 3, Geralt's memories (he had been suffering amnesia in the first two games) have been resorted. The game's subtitle suggests a confrontation with the band of spectres known as The Wild Hunt, which are presumably responsible for Geralt's amnesia and are also considered an omen of death.

CD Projekt Red also says Geralt's barber will be available from the get-go, but there will be absolutely no chance of dyeing his distinctive silver locks.

The Witcher series has sold more than 4 million copies as of last summer. CD Projekt Red has been teasing The Witcher 3 since 2011, with the latest barrage of speculation coming last month, when the company showed off a teaser image depicting Geralt's sword. For more on the series, check out GameSpot's review of The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings.

The Witcher 3 is not the only new game CD Projekt Red is at work on. The company is also developing Cyberpunk 2077, a new role-playing game set in a "dark future" where advanced technologies have become "both the salvation and the curse of humanity."

Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com

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eol_is

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An old man... If they add any more sex scenes, he'll be a perverted old man...

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Mamamf

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@eol_is he'll be hitting the grannies now.

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MAD_AI

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@eol_is

I'd like to think that when I'm old, I'm still getting laid.

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Okplay

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Edited By Okplay

@eol_is Man can't have sex? MATURE RPG GAME >> MATURE!

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deactivated-5d14bade6a0c4

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I can't wait. The Witcher is top notch.

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Jake518

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And cue the gaming hipsters going "Aw, man! Why did you have to compare it to Skyrim? I can't stand Skyrim. Blah blah blah".

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Bayonetta2013

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Will it have 20% more glitches, too?

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TohouAsura

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@Bayonetta2013 Yes. This is something every open world game suffers from.

Deal with it people, you want sandbox and near-limitless possibilities? It also comes with near limitless bugs.

Though to Bethesda's discredit, they have an outstanding repertoire of ridiculous game breaking and noticeable bugs all around for every single game they released. Amazing, really.

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TORCEDOR

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@Bayonetta2013 well I hope not, but open world does tend to have more glitches

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Chaos_Dante_456

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@TORCEDOR @Bayonetta2013 yep

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deactivated-5bcecc83a0715

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dissapointed


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FsLeonhart

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Hype Over 9000+

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Armyboy5

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Edited By Armyboy5

@FsLeonhart Too true

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Armyboy5

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Aweeeesssssooommme!!!!!!!

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eva02langley

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Edited By eva02langley

I don't think Skyrim is such a good reference... that game sucked!

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PcGamer4Ever1

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Edited By PcGamer4Ever1

@eva02langley Yes it does and The Witcher 3 is not for Skyrim kiddies . They are just comparing it's size . They are once again taking a new challenge with their game . This time they are combining open world with the deep non linear story and gameplay of The Witcher saga . Same level of detail as well . Something revolutionary .

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tmthywtsn

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You have right to feel that way, I loved it, best open world game EVER! lol

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tomelus

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@eva02langley Why do you feel Skyrim sucked? I think it's really good. (still playing)

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eva02langley

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Sorry to burst your bubble, but this is a PC game. CDPR is a true PC dev. Have fun waiting a year for the port... if any consoles will be able to handle it...

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RitsukoEX

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@eva02langley I'm NOT sorry to BLAST your bubble! but if you have READ this article. you will see it said. The Witcher 3 will be out next year for PCs as well as all other "high-end platforms." ( Next Xbox & PS4 ) besides from that! The Xbox360 did a good job with the Witcher 2!

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PcGamer4Ever1

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@RitsukoEX @eva02langley Don't be ignorant . xbox version looked like shit when compared with PC and sales were poor on it as well . you never know what's high end platforms .? may be it's mac or linux or steam box or just one console or console port in 2015 . Whatever the case only PC version is safe bet right now so if you are console only gamer then take this as grain of salt .

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MAD_AI

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@RitsukoEX @eva02langley

He never said that it wasn't coming to consoles, just that like the Witcher 2, it will take time before arriving on consoles. CDPR is known to be a PC first dev.

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MAD_AI

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@slainta @MAD_AI @RitsukoEX @eva02langley

HAHAHAHAHA

You know, you're right, it's not 4 million, it's 5 million.

http://www.gamespot.com/news/witcher-series-sales-hit-5-million-6403502

You know what I'm really tired of, you keep spouting the same old TPB rhetoric of high seeds even though we've proven time and again that PC has high game sales, and in the case of the Witcher higher than the 360.

I just went to TPB, searched Witcher 2, and the highest number of seeds and leechers combined can't even go over 2000. Good luck with your rhetoric.

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slainta

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@MAD_AI @slainta @RitsukoEX @eva02langley Even if one doubles the VGchartz numbers it makes only 1.6ml on PC. I don't know where you got the 4 millions from. I am frankly getting tired of PC guys and their creative math. You guys just spit out numbers out of nowhere.

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slainta

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@Mamamf @slainta @MAD_AI @RitsukoEX @eva02langley You probably have reading comprehensions. I already stated that TW2 has been like Dark Soul. First exclusive and then ported to another system. Production of The Witcher 3 instead will start from scratch for all platforms. It would be pretty STUPID to delay the development of it for consoles. Unless they need time to get used to the new systems. That would be the only excuse. Then don't worry. I wont' be buying the PS4 before 1 or 2 years after it comes out. So I have no interested on this yet. I'll buy it cheap once I'll upgrade.

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MAD_AI

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@Mamamf @slainta @MAD_AI @RitsukoEX @eva02langley

Who are you addressing this to?

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Mamamf

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@slainta @MAD_AI @RitsukoEX @eva02langley trolololol well it looks like they have the witcher 2 to prove you're wrong

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MAD_AI

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@slainta @MAD_AI @RitsukoEX @eva02langley

So nothing, I was clarifying a point that according to past experiences it will come later to consoles than PC's.

Second, the Witcher 2 on PC outsold the 360 version.

(http://www.vgchartz.com/gamedb/?name=Witcher)

And in total the Witcher series sold 4 million units, if we take out the 360 sales of 700,000 units, that leaves 3,300,000 units plus the digital sales on PC alone.

That piracy excuse is invalid, Skyrim sold above 3 million units if we count digital sales (http://www.vgchartz.com/gamedb/?name=Skyrim).

Xcom Enemy Unknown sold more than the consoles as well again if we take into consideration the digital sales (http://www.vgchartz.com/gamedb/?name=XCOM%3A+Enemy+Unknown) these are just a few example, but point being PC gamers buy their games just as much as the other gamers.


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slainta

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@MAD_AI @RitsukoEX @eva02langley So what? Dark Souls as well was a consoles only game (with the original Demon's Souls a PS3 exclusive )and then it has been ported only later to PC. But Dark Souls 2 is meant to be published for all platforms at the same time. To publish games first on PC and later to the console is a straight invitation to have people getting it from a torrent site. Then what's the big deal? The next consoles will have more or less a PC architecture, it seems. The ports should be more straightforward.

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MAD_AI

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Edited By MAD_AI

@RitsukoEX @MAD_AI

Apparently you lack the ability to comprehend plain English, the game will come to consoles as CDPR has already stated, neither the guy above nor I are denying that fact. But given that CDPR's preference for the PC platform, and given the fact the Witcher 2 took several months before being ported to 360, then it is a safe assumption that CDPR would prefer to release the game on PC first, and then release the game all patched up as they did with their previous title, most probably to avoid MS and Sony's patches and update costs via XBL and PSN.

If you think that this is trolling, then you have my pity.

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RitsukoEX

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@MAD_AI Now! you're just trolling! I'll stop feeding you now!

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MAD_AI

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@RitsukoEX @MAD_AI

Uhu, and did I say that it isn't coming to consoles?

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RitsukoEX

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@MAD_AI did you not read! it says it will be coming in 2014? for both PCs as well as all other "high-end platforms?!

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Sardinar

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Why did they even mention Skyrim, could've just said 'open-ended' so that people wouldn't get the though that CD Projekt is going to milk their game...

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TORCEDOR

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@Sardinar well I think the reference was due to map world size so people can get a perspective of size. skyrim was huge and popular so more people might get the referral comparison . I guess that was it

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scroft16

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Edited By scroft16

never played the Witcher , feel i may have been deprived . as a big bethesda fan this looks promising with them describing this bigger than skyrim

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velcroboy

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@scroft16 You need to get on that.

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deactivated-58a64256e129f

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Platforms:

  • PC
  • MAC
  • X720
  • PS4

Well played

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TohouAsura

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@grgcucu You HONESTLY think that just because GameSpot opened a spot for consoles, which haven't even been released or gotten their name yet, that it really is coming out to them?


Did GameSpot suddently become the end all be all source for true gaming news? I think not.

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Vojtass

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@grgcucu Gamespot for almost a year claimed, that TW2 will have PS3 port. It won't happen, so...

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Sanguis_Malus

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If the world really Is going to be so big with more to do then I'm ecstatic.

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Dead1000

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YEEESSSS finally... this will be another epic journey with the white wolf ^^

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AP3Xoblivion

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Edited By AP3Xoblivion

I cannot wait, Witcher 2 was an absolute gem of a game. So beyond happy this got announced.

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TohouAsura

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The White wolf has returned!

This game, is everything I ever hoped it would be.

More open, more quests, more story, NO MILKING!!


This game is going to be the game that Geralt deserves, that gamers deserve!


Thank you CDProjekt, for laying my doubts to rest, and letting me know, there is a developer out there who still caters to people who enjoy good games without money-grubbing bull!


WHERE IS THE DAMN PRE-ORDER BUTTON?!

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Dessicator

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I did like the first two games, they had interesting worlds and stories and felt unique in a weird way. The problem with the series has been the combat. I only played Witcher 2 once and as the sword spec, so I don't know if the other two play styles were any better, but the sword fighting felt really poorly implemented and was pretty obviously ripped right off from Fable 3. I want to enjoy the last game so I hope they can come up with a good combat system for it (and better gameplay overall).

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pal_080

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@Dessicator Oh for the love of ****, did you just say The Witcher 2 ripped off the combat from Fable...?


GET OUT!

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deactivated-626f039c80ca6

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It Seems CD Projekt are my new Bioware. Adult games that actually treat you like and adult and give you a decent challenge too.
I trust them implicitly with this series and Cyberpunk 2077 too. Can't wait!

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Dead1000

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Edited By Dead1000

@TorMasturba here mate take my like!!

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rhymesmatter

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I am IN LOVE!! IN LOVE! I will buy the Collector's Edition DAY 1 !! TAKE MY MONEY AND JUST DO WHATEVER YOU WANT WITH MY MIND! In CDProjekt Red...We trust!

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