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Today marks the 15th anniversary of The Witcher, and a remake of the original game that started it all has been announced to be in the works by studio Fool’s Theory, under the direct supervision of developer CD Projekt Red. The game was previously codenamed Canis Majoris.
CD Projekt Red has gained quite a bit of notoriety after the initially disastrous launch of one of the most anticipated games of the decade, Cyberpunk 2077. Players hope that they will learn from their mistakes and not repeat them in upcoming titles. If the current state of Cyberpunk 2077 is anything to go by, things have taken a turn for the better, and CD Project Red is finally delivering on their promises.
Major mistakes CDPR should not make in The Witcher remake
1) Performance
The Witcher games have historically had performance issues that took several patches to address - both for the second and third games. The latest entry from CD Projekt Red, Cyberpunk 2077, was even worse and offered subpar performance on consoles, with unstable framerates and poor image resolution.
With current-gen hardware such as that of the PlayStation 5, gamers have come to expect higher resolutions and frame rates from their games. CD Projekt Red must deliver on both these fronts, providing a stable experience on launch day.
2) A rushed release with missing content
Cyberpunk 2077 was reportedly rushed for its release, and many of its advertised core gameplay features were absent from the final product, resulting in negative reception across the board.
CD Projekt Red should avoid making the same mistake with The Witcher remake. They should try to launch the game in a polished state, instead of relying on future bug fixes and additional DLC content to fill in for the missing gameplay elements that were initially promised.
3) The remake must not stray too far from the original
The original Witcher is a classic. It introduced the works of author Andrzej Sapkowski to a mainstream audience in a highly interactive and enjoyable video game format. Regardless, it still has its flaws since it was CD Projekt Red's first game.
Although some core gameplay features and in-game graphics are admittedly overdue for an overhaul, CD Projekt Red must be careful not to stray too far from the original game’s aesthetic and presentation, while simultaneously recreating it for a brand-new audience.
4) Don't overpromise and underdeliver
The most glaring example of this is Cyberpunk 2077, and the game's reception was a grim reminder of what happens when a game studio fails to provide all of a game's advertised features to the public.
CD Projekt Red cannot afford to make the same mistake twice, and The Witcher remake must temper expectations. They should only promise what they can deliver, no more and no less.
5) Adding microtransactions to the game
The most recent controversial trend in AAA video game franchises has been to add various microtransactions to games. These microtransactions can be for cosmetics or even game-breaking items and skills, so they understandably have a very poor reputation among gamers.
The Witcher remake must avoid microtransactions to remain in the goodwill of the gaming community. Furthermore, pre-order bonuses should also be fairly balanced.
With no concrete release date announced as of now, players can only wait and speculate until CD Projekt Red reveals new information.
