The Witcher 3: Anniversary Edition
This post was inspired by numerous threads, two in particular that appear in Story & Suggestions. It was also inspired by (and quotes) a recent post from Burza in the Gwent forum, which others have quoted mockingly as proof that CDPR no longer cares about their fans, a theory that began with the release of The Witcher 3. The following is a counter theory.
Warning To CDPR: I begin by defending the fans that criticize you.
Warning To Fans: I end by defending CDPR from your criticism.
[1] Define "Mature"
Mature content does not mean nudity and violence. It does not denote any specific content at all. Being "mature" means embracing reality. Seeing things as they are because you can handle reality, and presenting things as they are because you believe others can handle reality.
The Witcher 3 is heavily censored. CDPR increased the amount of skin compared to TW1 & TW2, but that just drew more attention to the censorship. And by "censored" I mean that things should have been one way, but were altered to be unrealistic.
TW1 & TW2 both had excellent examples of mature realism in the depiction of nudity.
And TW3 even had its moments.
To Be Clear: Players criticize how CDPR handled clothing/nudity in TW3 because it breaks immersion and mars an otherwise incredible experience. It is not because the players are perverts (those who are have internet porn). Witcher fans want immersion. Mature realistic content from start to finish.
[2] Mature Professionals
TW1 was censored for release in certain countries. While artistically I condemn this, professionally I commend CDPR for censoring TW1 initially. That was a mature business decision: accepting the current state of the world and understanding that you cannot find your audience if they cannot find your product. Mission accomplished, CDPR then released a patch so players could remove the censorship.
CDPR again employed blatant self-censorship in TW3. And again this was a mature business decision. For many (like PS4 players), TW3 was their introduction to the Witcher & CDPR. By releasing a restrained version of TW3, CDPR was able to better reach their audience (many of whom then purchased the full trilogy, to the benefit of CDPR & GOG). Had CDPR not exercised caution in the beginning, a mainstream backlash may have scared away potential Witcher fans due to fake news misleading them as to what the Witcher really is.
However, now that Witcher 3 is firmly established as one of the greatest games ever made, CDPR no longer has to worry about its image being ruined by ignorant critics. And as such, the time is right to release one more version of their greatest game (thus far).
[3] No - Not Enhanced Edition
CDPR has stated an "Enhanced Edition" was never planned. Good plan (seriously). While TW3 could have used more content (Example: Develop the Wild Hunt), Wild Hunt delivered more than most games, Hearts of Stone was epic, and Blood & Wine has been called "Witcher 4." CDPR did their job, and then some. And then some more.
Regarding gameplay flaws, you can nitpick forever, but compared to many games [Read: nearly every AAA game of the past decade] TW3 is amazing. Players just want perfection, which I can relate to, but perfect gameplay is a subjective dream best fulfilled by overhaul mods (like Ghost Mode & Enhanced Edition) at this point.
[4] The Anniversary Edition
The greatest threat to CDPR's reputation right now is that gamers fear the company has been corrupted by AAA status. Many hoped CDPR would become more bold with success, that they would champion a golden age of mature adult games devoid of censorship and unafraid of critics, but as censored TW3 was followed by "T For Teen" Gwent and Cyberpunk was announced as multiplayer (despite the Witcher trilogy being dedicated to the superior storytelling & immersion of offline single-player) longtime fans have come to believe that CDPR has abandoned them. There is a simple (and obvious, so obvious that I believe CDPR has been planning it since before TW3 was released) solution to this problem.
The Witcher franchise just celebrated its 10th anniversary. This would be the perfect time for CDPR to announce the "Director's Cut" treatment for TW3. They have an opportunity to make a strong statement that mature adults ARE their core audience. They know who their fans are. They know who got them where they are today. CDPR will always be a company dedicated to delivering mature games to a mature audience. And to prove this they are giving their fans, the mature gamers that have supported them all these years, the uncensored version of TW3.
That they have not done so already makes sense. First they had to release the expansions. Then they began development on Gwent in response to the demands of the fans. It's very possible an uncensored version of TW3 was always planned, but given the timing of things they decided to wait until after the release of Gwent. They have stated that the surprise element is key in Cyberpunk marketing plans. Not hard to imagine they also want to surprise everyone by announcing "The Witcher 3: Anniversary Edition" following the release of Gwent. That's good marketing. It sparks renewed interest in the Witcher franchise right when their latest Witcher game hits. This results in double the media coverage, because the press will be reporting not only on the release of "Gwent: The Witcher Card Game" but also on the announced new version of "The Witcher 3," the game that inspired Gwent. And at this point, you're not trying to sell TW3 to the masses anymore. You have Gwent (12 & Up) for that audience. You're just releasing a special version of TW3 for a special audience: your dedicated hardcore fanbase.
NOTE: This need not be a boxed edition. A patch would do the job. "The Anniversary Patch" has a nice ring to it. And how appropriate that the trilogy end as it began, with a patch that removes censorship from every version in the world. Again, I would not be surprised if CDPR is already planning this, as the PS4 Pro & Xbox One X patches prove they have not abandoned TW3.
[5] Change of Heart
I confess, I too was once worried that CDPR was moving in a bad direction. But I was letting my emotions as a gamer and artist cloud my judgment. Being a businessman, and having stepped back and considered things with a different mindset, I believe there is a very good chance that CDPR is going to silence their critics, restore faith to all their fans, and blow everyone away in 2018. I sure hope so. Because CDPR has been changing the industry for years. Which is why fans find it so unbelievable that CDPR would suddenly let the industry change them.
This post was inspired by numerous threads, two in particular that appear in Story & Suggestions. It was also inspired by (and quotes) a recent post from Burza in the Gwent forum, which others have quoted mockingly as proof that CDPR no longer cares about their fans, a theory that began with the release of The Witcher 3. The following is a counter theory.
Warning To CDPR: I begin by defending the fans that criticize you.
Warning To Fans: I end by defending CDPR from your criticism.
[1] Define "Mature"
Mature content does not mean nudity and violence. It does not denote any specific content at all. Being "mature" means embracing reality. Seeing things as they are because you can handle reality, and presenting things as they are because you believe others can handle reality.
The Witcher 3 is heavily censored. CDPR increased the amount of skin compared to TW1 & TW2, but that just drew more attention to the censorship. And by "censored" I mean that things should have been one way, but were altered to be unrealistic.
Example 1: Bra on Ciri.
The bra is clearly not supposed to be there. It doesn't fit her character, and her outfit would look better without it. That Ciri has a detailed topless model in the game code is evidence TW3 was meant to be different. HoS even adds a line where she explains that she opens her shirt to distract people from her scar. So why the bra? (flashing in underwear isn't flashing) That line is further evidence that her breasts are supposed to be visible through the opening in her shirt, as the intentional exposure adds nuance: she is insecure about her scar, yet confident about her body and beauty overall, and whereas once everyone treated her body like a tool (books), she has since made it one of her weapons.
Example 2: Everyone wears underwear. Even in the bathhouse.
People bathe nude. Putting underwear on everyone is jarring and unrealistic. This is akin to Hollywood self-censorship where everyone showers with a towel on & nude women have magic hair that blocks their nipples (and "full frontal" means "male penis" & "female nipples, because women don't have vaginas"). These things remind you that you're watching a movie and destroy immersion. And mature viewers all say: either be realistic, or cut the scene.
Example 3: Even Geralt.
While everyone understands the challenge in creating realistic penis physics (and deciding between 8 inches or 20), the Geralt boxers were like a big black "censored" bar on the screen.
There are many more examples. The returning panties in the first Yennefer sex scene. And the infamous sauna with Ciri (panties AND bandages). But moving on...
The bra is clearly not supposed to be there. It doesn't fit her character, and her outfit would look better without it. That Ciri has a detailed topless model in the game code is evidence TW3 was meant to be different. HoS even adds a line where she explains that she opens her shirt to distract people from her scar. So why the bra? (flashing in underwear isn't flashing) That line is further evidence that her breasts are supposed to be visible through the opening in her shirt, as the intentional exposure adds nuance: she is insecure about her scar, yet confident about her body and beauty overall, and whereas once everyone treated her body like a tool (books), she has since made it one of her weapons.
Example 2: Everyone wears underwear. Even in the bathhouse.
People bathe nude. Putting underwear on everyone is jarring and unrealistic. This is akin to Hollywood self-censorship where everyone showers with a towel on & nude women have magic hair that blocks their nipples (and "full frontal" means "male penis" & "female nipples, because women don't have vaginas"). These things remind you that you're watching a movie and destroy immersion. And mature viewers all say: either be realistic, or cut the scene.
Example 3: Even Geralt.
While everyone understands the challenge in creating realistic penis physics (and deciding between 8 inches or 20), the Geralt boxers were like a big black "censored" bar on the screen.
There are many more examples. The returning panties in the first Yennefer sex scene. And the infamous sauna with Ciri (panties AND bandages). But moving on...
TW1 & TW2 both had excellent examples of mature realism in the depiction of nudity.
TW1: The (uncensored) dryad & naiad were fully nude, every part of them visible, which is their normal state. This was mature not because they were nude, but because they were comfortably nude. There was nothing sexual about it. Every creature in the world (except humans) is comfortable in their natural body; they don't feel like something is missing. The dryad & naiad behaved in this way, as though the concept that they are "not dressed" is completely alien to them.
TW2: In the opening scene of Geralt & Triss in bed, Triss is comfortable being nude. She doesn't think about it, because she's alone with Geralt. She rolls around indifferent to her body being on display. Then a soldier walks in, and she quickly covers up. This is a mature scripting of realistic behavior, as that is how Triss would behave, her being a human who (unlike dryads & naiads) is conditioned to see her body as something to be hidden in public.
TW2: In the opening scene of Geralt & Triss in bed, Triss is comfortable being nude. She doesn't think about it, because she's alone with Geralt. She rolls around indifferent to her body being on display. Then a soldier walks in, and she quickly covers up. This is a mature scripting of realistic behavior, as that is how Triss would behave, her being a human who (unlike dryads & naiads) is conditioned to see her body as something to be hidden in public.
And TW3 even had its moments.
Examples: Keira bathing. And Crones at Bald Mountain.
Though camera angles (and tubs and cauldrons and witchers) prevent you from seeing vaginas, that is NOT censorship. What makes these an example of mature content is that the women looked as they should, and their behavior was natural, comfortable and confident. The scenes looked real.
And that's what made every non-nude scene in the game (excluding those with Ciri and the bra) mature as well. Realism. Witchers being shunned because of their otherness. The response to the White Orchard massacre despite them being "the good guys." The Bloody Baron. That's real. You don't need nudity to be mature, but when you have it, it should look natural. Everything should be the way it is in reality. Not the way it is in a PG13 movie.
Mixed Example: Ves
I assumed in TW2 that her outfit reflected her character. Proud and stubborn (like all Blue Stripes), she embraces her gender but is not restricted by it. None would comment on a man wearing an open shirt, so none comment on Ves. Then CDPR had Roche comment in TW3. Yelling at Ves for being stupid is realistic, but yelling at her for dressing as she always has is verbal censorship that taints the characters and the scene. Mature Example: cut the comment; go straight from "suicide mission" to "guerrilla warfare."
Though camera angles (and tubs and cauldrons and witchers) prevent you from seeing vaginas, that is NOT censorship. What makes these an example of mature content is that the women looked as they should, and their behavior was natural, comfortable and confident. The scenes looked real.
And that's what made every non-nude scene in the game (excluding those with Ciri and the bra) mature as well. Realism. Witchers being shunned because of their otherness. The response to the White Orchard massacre despite them being "the good guys." The Bloody Baron. That's real. You don't need nudity to be mature, but when you have it, it should look natural. Everything should be the way it is in reality. Not the way it is in a PG13 movie.
Mixed Example: Ves
I assumed in TW2 that her outfit reflected her character. Proud and stubborn (like all Blue Stripes), she embraces her gender but is not restricted by it. None would comment on a man wearing an open shirt, so none comment on Ves. Then CDPR had Roche comment in TW3. Yelling at Ves for being stupid is realistic, but yelling at her for dressing as she always has is verbal censorship that taints the characters and the scene. Mature Example: cut the comment; go straight from "suicide mission" to "guerrilla warfare."
To Be Clear: Players criticize how CDPR handled clothing/nudity in TW3 because it breaks immersion and mars an otherwise incredible experience. It is not because the players are perverts (those who are have internet porn). Witcher fans want immersion. Mature realistic content from start to finish.
[2] Mature Professionals
TW1 was censored for release in certain countries. While artistically I condemn this, professionally I commend CDPR for censoring TW1 initially. That was a mature business decision: accepting the current state of the world and understanding that you cannot find your audience if they cannot find your product. Mission accomplished, CDPR then released a patch so players could remove the censorship.
CDPR again employed blatant self-censorship in TW3. And again this was a mature business decision. For many (like PS4 players), TW3 was their introduction to the Witcher & CDPR. By releasing a restrained version of TW3, CDPR was able to better reach their audience (many of whom then purchased the full trilogy, to the benefit of CDPR & GOG). Had CDPR not exercised caution in the beginning, a mainstream backlash may have scared away potential Witcher fans due to fake news misleading them as to what the Witcher really is.
For example, fans speculate that Ciri was censored to avoid triggering cries of "Daughter Figure!"
Any mature adult will tell you that nudity does not equal sex. And even if Geralt was Ciri's real father, were Geralt to see her nude, bathing, not wearing a bra, or even having sex, it would in no way equate to incest. However, many are too immature to grasp this, proven by the fact that many still do cry "Daughter Figure!" every time this subject is mentioned, and CDPR was wise to anticipate the problems such individuals may have caused the game, as early press can have a lasting impact. They wanted Wild Hunt to be judged by its quality, not by controversy.
That said, the immature should not have the final word on the Witcher legacy. Ciri deserves to be a real girl, no strings attached. And currently she is a walking testament to the influence of prudish terrorism on creative freedom and artistic integrity. It would be tragic for CDPR to leave things as they are.
Any mature adult will tell you that nudity does not equal sex. And even if Geralt was Ciri's real father, were Geralt to see her nude, bathing, not wearing a bra, or even having sex, it would in no way equate to incest. However, many are too immature to grasp this, proven by the fact that many still do cry "Daughter Figure!" every time this subject is mentioned, and CDPR was wise to anticipate the problems such individuals may have caused the game, as early press can have a lasting impact. They wanted Wild Hunt to be judged by its quality, not by controversy.
That said, the immature should not have the final word on the Witcher legacy. Ciri deserves to be a real girl, no strings attached. And currently she is a walking testament to the influence of prudish terrorism on creative freedom and artistic integrity. It would be tragic for CDPR to leave things as they are.
However, now that Witcher 3 is firmly established as one of the greatest games ever made, CDPR no longer has to worry about its image being ruined by ignorant critics. And as such, the time is right to release one more version of their greatest game (thus far).
[3] No - Not Enhanced Edition
CDPR has stated an "Enhanced Edition" was never planned. Good plan (seriously). While TW3 could have used more content (Example: Develop the Wild Hunt), Wild Hunt delivered more than most games, Hearts of Stone was epic, and Blood & Wine has been called "Witcher 4." CDPR did their job, and then some. And then some more.
Besides, loose ends and ambiguity can be a strength. For example, those who want more Yennefer & Ciri fail to realize that many dislike Yennefer and believe she does not belong with Geralt or Ciri (I am among them, and I read the books). And some were upset with 'world state' endings like "and having finally been reunited, Geralt & Ciri parted ways forever" or "and because Geralt did not choose one of two romance options, he wandered poor and alone forever" which were fixed by Blood & Wine but could be broken again by CDPR trying to add new content. But there is enough material for fans to imagine the answers to all their questions. For example, those who want more Yen & Ciri, just imagine more scenes involving them during the holes when Geralt was elsewhere. There is no need for new TW3 content. And from a business standpoint, once you sell a "Complete" edition, it's a deadly sin to release another expansion anyway. A new game is your only option.
Regarding gameplay flaws, you can nitpick forever, but compared to many games [Read: nearly every AAA game of the past decade] TW3 is amazing. Players just want perfection, which I can relate to, but perfect gameplay is a subjective dream best fulfilled by overhaul mods (like Ghost Mode & Enhanced Edition) at this point.
[4] The Anniversary Edition
The greatest threat to CDPR's reputation right now is that gamers fear the company has been corrupted by AAA status. Many hoped CDPR would become more bold with success, that they would champion a golden age of mature adult games devoid of censorship and unafraid of critics, but as censored TW3 was followed by "T For Teen" Gwent and Cyberpunk was announced as multiplayer (despite the Witcher trilogy being dedicated to the superior storytelling & immersion of offline single-player) longtime fans have come to believe that CDPR has abandoned them. There is a simple (and obvious, so obvious that I believe CDPR has been planning it since before TW3 was released) solution to this problem.
The Witcher franchise just celebrated its 10th anniversary. This would be the perfect time for CDPR to announce the "Director's Cut" treatment for TW3. They have an opportunity to make a strong statement that mature adults ARE their core audience. They know who their fans are. They know who got them where they are today. CDPR will always be a company dedicated to delivering mature games to a mature audience. And to prove this they are giving their fans, the mature gamers that have supported them all these years, the uncensored version of TW3.
That they have not done so already makes sense. First they had to release the expansions. Then they began development on Gwent in response to the demands of the fans. It's very possible an uncensored version of TW3 was always planned, but given the timing of things they decided to wait until after the release of Gwent. They have stated that the surprise element is key in Cyberpunk marketing plans. Not hard to imagine they also want to surprise everyone by announcing "The Witcher 3: Anniversary Edition" following the release of Gwent. That's good marketing. It sparks renewed interest in the Witcher franchise right when their latest Witcher game hits. This results in double the media coverage, because the press will be reporting not only on the release of "Gwent: The Witcher Card Game" but also on the announced new version of "The Witcher 3," the game that inspired Gwent. And at this point, you're not trying to sell TW3 to the masses anymore. You have Gwent (12 & Up) for that audience. You're just releasing a special version of TW3 for a special audience: your dedicated hardcore fanbase.
NOTE: This need not be a boxed edition. A patch would do the job. "The Anniversary Patch" has a nice ring to it. And how appropriate that the trilogy end as it began, with a patch that removes censorship from every version in the world. Again, I would not be surprised if CDPR is already planning this, as the PS4 Pro & Xbox One X patches prove they have not abandoned TW3.
Burza46;n10081611 said:
[5] Change of Heart
I confess, I too was once worried that CDPR was moving in a bad direction. But I was letting my emotions as a gamer and artist cloud my judgment. Being a businessman, and having stepped back and considered things with a different mindset, I believe there is a very good chance that CDPR is going to silence their critics, restore faith to all their fans, and blow everyone away in 2018. I sure hope so. Because CDPR has been changing the industry for years. Which is why fans find it so unbelievable that CDPR would suddenly let the industry change them.
Want one last hint that CDPR may be a bunch of crafty marketing supervillains? The mature version of Ciri is already featured in standalone Gwent. Look at her "Ciri" card art, her standard card, the same art used in the wallpaper, the first piece of artwork they released. No bra.
