Witcher 2's branching paths a 'waste of resources,' says CD Projekt boss

CD Projekt RED Reconsiders Ambitious Branching Narratives

CD Projekt RED's co-CEO, Adam Kiciński, has revealed that the studio is unlikely to revisit the intricate branching narrative structure employed in The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings. This design choice, which saw the latter half of the game drastically alter based on player decisions, is now considered by the studio as a significant drain on resources, despite its impressive impact on players.

The Cost of Two Worlds: Witcher 2's Production Dilemma

Recalling the development of The Witcher 2, Kiciński explained to PC Gamer that the game featured two distinct story paths: one where Geralt sided with the charismatic elven outlaw Iorveth, and another where he aligned with Vernon Roche, the commander of the Temerian special forces known as the Blue Stripes. "In The Witcher 2, we had a very complex game structure because there are two paths. If you choose one, the other remains invisible. From a production standpoint – this is a waste of resources. And from a player's perspective – perhaps interesting, but it was definitely an experiment," Kiciński reminisced. Approximately 90% of the game's second act was unique to each choice, encompassing different locations, characters, quests, and dialogues. This meant players had to play through the game twice to fully grasp the entire narrative, a feat that proved exceptionally labor-intensive for CD Projekt RED.

The Shift to Open Worlds: Prioritizing Scope and Story in The Witcher 3

This demanding approach led CD Projekt RED to re-evaluate their strategy for the subsequent installment, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. The studio consciously moved away from such heavily branched storylines in favor of a vast, immersive open world. "In Wild Hunt, I already knew that such a combination and game structure didn't work very well. So, we offered something completely new – something that fit the open-world concept," Kiciński stated. Instead of presenting players with two parallel narratives, the focus shifted to crafting a sprawling and dynamic game map.

Balancing Ambition with Player Experience

"The most important thing was how we would manage to create such a large open-world game while maintaining Geralt's strong story – there were many doubts then," Kiciński elaborated. Ultimately, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt followed a single primary narrative thread, where Geralt's path aligned with Vernon Roche. The character of Iorveth was largely absent from the main story. Although Iorveth's model, dialogue, and quest elements were later discovered by Reddit users within the game's files, suggesting his storyline was cut late in development, the studio prioritized a cohesive, overarching experience. This decision was made in a landscape where, as PC Gamer noted, games like Bethesda's Skyrim were popular benchmarks for fantasy RPGs, yet often criticized for their narrative depth. CD Projekt RED aimed to prove that a compelling story could indeed be told within an expansive open-world environment.

The Witcher Franchise Evolves

The Witcher series has since blossomed into a colossal franchise, spawning a successful Netflix series, animated spin-offs, and the highly anticipated fourth installment, which, interestingly, "very rarely" considers the input of the original creator. Furthermore, a remake of the first Witcher game is in development, alongside a new AAA title set in an entirely original universe, showcasing CD Projekt RED's continued commitment to storytelling and world-building.