Witcher 2 'Combat' trailer arrives, console versions likely, after PC release

The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings gets ready for its May 17, 2011 release date on PC with a new developer diary about combat, as buzz of possible console versions continues.

4

The May 17 release date for The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings on PC is less than a month away. To further whet our appetites, CD Projekt has released a new developer-narrated gameplay trailer that focuses on some of the ways that swordplay, magic, and alchemy factor into the game's action-based combat system.

Traps, spells, potions, and finishing moves are all touched upon in the video, as well as some of their combined applications.

Speculation about potential console versions of The Witcher 2 has been brewing since the game was first announced, peaking most recently when CD Projekt's Michael Kicinski strongly hinted they were already in the works on Polish TV.

According to a follow-up interview with Eurogamer, CD Projekt's Tomasz Gop has since clarified that console versions of The Witcher 2 have not "officially" entered production, but that the team would begin seriously considering the possibility after the PC version is released. "We definitely know that after finishing the PC version we want to sit down and we want to start working on this," he said. He also clarified that the team wouldn't wait to see how the PC version performed before scheduling and planning begin on the likely console iterations.

"We're definitely not a team that can do multiple projects at the same time," explained Gop. "We're warily not doing it this way because it might compromise the quality of the first PC release. So no, no no no, we are not in full-scale development on the console version of the Witcher 2 right now." He further clarified that "there were tests like a proof of concept, so we at least know that it's doable, possible. But we are not fully producing the game right now. Nuh-uh."

Despite the plans for console versions being completely unofficial at this time, Gop also hinted that the team may be ready to announce something about console versions as early as the May 17 PC launch date.

"I can already promise you that if we're going to do this on consoles it's not going to look like crap, definitely," said Gop. Should versions of The Witcher 2 materialize on other platforms, Gop said that the team is excited about the idea of "potentially adding something new, like some brand new content" into those iterations.

From The Chatty
  • reply
    April 27, 2011 1:30 PM

    Jeff Mattas posted a new article, Witcher 2 'Combat' trailer arrives, console versions likely, after PC release.

    The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings gets ready for its May 17, 2011 release date on PC with a new developer diary about combat, as buzz of possible console versions continues.

    • reply
      April 27, 2011 1:34 PM

      Can't wait for this game.

      If they do make new content for the possible console versions, I hope they release those as DLC for the PC.

      • reply
        April 27, 2011 3:53 PM

        Same here. They're pretty good on the PC focus. They've got GOG.com, along with the whole anti-DRM thing, so I'd like to think that anything new for a console release comes back to the PC players.

    • reply
      April 27, 2011 1:39 PM

      I hope the engine didn't get too major of an overhaul. I can play most of the titles that have hit in the last few years (ME2, FO:NV, FO3, et al) without much of an issue or nasty performance hit. However, the screen shots make me think this new Witcher might be a reason to upgrade.

      • reply
        April 27, 2011 1:46 PM

        It's a brand new engine written from scratch. They completely abandoned the Bioware engine they used in the first game.

      • reply
        April 27, 2011 1:47 PM

        the engine is already spec'd for cross-platform development.

      • reply
        April 27, 2011 3:51 PM

        they made a point about its scalability in earlier vids too. shouldnt be too much of a drain im guessing.

      • reply
        April 27, 2011 5:39 PM

        [deleted]

    • reply
      April 27, 2011 2:36 PM

      heh, i've heard them say that before

    • reply
      April 27, 2011 3:51 PM

      On my face please.

    • reply
      April 27, 2011 6:50 PM

      tl;dr:

      Miss the good version? Fugly, buggy, dumbed-down edition may be a possibility!

    • reply
      April 27, 2011 6:57 PM

      This will be amazing.

    • reply
      April 28, 2011 5:20 AM

      Wow! Looks awesome and more importantly, every bit as good as the first!

    • reply
      April 28, 2011 7:10 AM

      combat looks just as bad as the first game

    • reply
      April 28, 2011 7:12 AM

      The game looks damn good, but that camera motion blur is a bit much I think.

Hello, Meet Lola