The Evolution of the Witcher
The Novels
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As his short stories gained traction, Sapkowski decided to embark on a more ambitious project: a fully developed fantasy saga. In 1994, Sapkowski published his first novel, “Blood of Elves.” This was followed by the sequels “Time of Contempt,” “Baptism of Fire,” “The Tower of the Swallow,” and “The Lady of the Lake”. The books focused on Geralt’s attempts to protect Ciri, a princess with a natural affinity for magic who’s caught up in the political machinations of rival powers. Under Geralt’s tutelage, she becomes a witcher-in-training. Sapkowski also later wrote a standalone novel, “Season of Storms”, set between the short stories in “The Last Wish”. In Poland, these books were very popular, but it wouldn’t be until 2008 that they began to receive official English translations. So in the meantime, fans began translating the novels themselves, bringing them to a wider audience!
The First Live-Action Adaptations
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Given how beloved Sapkowski’s books are, it was only a matter of time before they got a live-action adaptation. However, the first attempt was … let’s say not what fans were hoping for. In 2001, a Polish adaptation of “The Witcher” titled “The Hexer” was released, to poor reviews. “Hexer” was an alternative translation of the Polish word “wiedźmin”, the male version of the word “wiedźma”, meaning witch. However, much more was lost in translation in adapting the books for the screen. The film was criticized as feeling rushed, essentially serving as a two hour trailer for a 13 episode TV series released the following year. While the casting and music received some praise, the plot and special effects were disliked by critics and fans alike. Andrzej Sapkowski wasn’t exactly impressed either. 2001 also saw the release of a tabletop game based on the books called “The Witcher: A Game of Imagination”. And it seemed like that would be the only way for fans to really enjoy “The Witcher” in a medium outside the books, given the disappointment of the film and TV series. That is, until a certain Polish game development studio set its sights on Sapkowski’s epic fantasy world ...
The Video Games
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The video game license for “The Witcher” books was initially picked up by Metropolis Software in 1997. While it began production, it never went anywhere, with the studio’s publisher TopWare Interactive airing concerns about its international appeal. How wrong they were … In 2002 CD Projekt approached Sapkowski, offering royalties in return for the rights. However, in a move that even Sapkowski has since described as “stupid”, he instead asked for 35,000 zloty (approximately $9,500 US) upfront. He had no interest in video games, and didn’t believe that CD Projekt could succeed - although he’d later go on to demand over $16 million dollars in royalties. At the time, CD Projekt had never developed a game; they’d only translated and distributed games and begun a PC port of Baldur’s Gate. That’s it. Their first demo was a top-down RPG similar to “Diablo”, which they soon abandoned. Shifting gears, they began development again in BioWare’s “Aurora Engine”, setting their story after the last book in the series, “The Lady of the Lake”. “The Witcher” was finally released on PC in 2007. Reviews were mostly positive, praising its storytelling and immersive gameplay, which included difficult moral choices and time delayed consequences. While Sapkowski had no involvement, it felt like a continuation of the same world. The game proved so successful overseas that a console port and “Enhanced Edition” was released in 2008, eventually leading to a sequel: “The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings” in 2011. Reception was also very positive, with special praise going to its combat system, graphics, and story. The studio had understood that the detailed world and relationships were what made the series so great and built on that for the sequel. But it was the third installment that really made “The Witcher” a household name in the gaming community and beyond. Released in 2015, “The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt” received a staggering 260 game of the year awards and is considered one of the greatest games of all time. CD Projekt Red had mastered its world-building, combat, and role-playing elements, filling the game’s breathtaking open world with details that players can still get lost in today. For many, this was their first introduction to the series, as the game was released on all major platforms at launch. Given its popularity, this iteration firmly established itself as the adaptation to beat. It was later followed by two spin-offs based on its in-game card game, “Gwent: The Witcher Card Game” and “Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales”.
Netflix’s TV Series
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The video game adaptations led to a surge of interest in the franchise, including the original short stories and novels. Since the first game’s release, there have been card games, a Dark Horse comic series, a board game, and collections of short stories written by other writers. “The Wild Hunt” brought this popularity to new heights. All these adaptations meant that there was a large enough fanbase to have another crack at a live-action adaptation. Netflix’s “The Witcher” was originally going to be a film, but fortunately evolved into a TV series instead. Sapkowski came on as a consultant. A huge fan of the Witcher video games, Henry Cavill was eager to land the role of Geralt, so much so that showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich found his persistence “really annoying”! However, when she finally wrote the script, she couldn’t get Cavill’s voice out of her head, and eventually cast him. It was a dream come true for the Superman actor and, as it turned out, for fans, because he absolutely embodies the character. So too does Freya Allan as Ciri, and Anya Chalotra as Yennefer. Released in 2019, the first season was based on the short story collections before the main saga. While critics were lukewarm, viewers loved it. During the wait for the second season, Netflix followed up with the animated spin-off “Nightmare of the Wolf”. There’s also a six-part miniseries on the way, “Blood Origin”, a prequel about the creation of the very first witcher! All in all, it’s a glorious time to be a Witcher fan! No matter what company has tackled the Witcher, the dark and adult tone has remained throughout its various iterations. There’s a hugely expansive lore and plenty of ways to experience the world, from the books to the games and TV and film adaptations. Its detailed characters, fantastical creatures, and dramatic plots fueled by complex relationships have remained the main draw for audiences, with every version building on the stories somehow. While different adaptations have given slightly different spins on the tales, Geralt’s adventures have continued to captivate audiences for over three decades. There’s no doubt that we’ll continue to see more of him - as long as a coin or two is tossed his way.
