Author of Witcher books, that the game series is based on, is bitter

[Eisberg]

He agreed to a $100,000 deal with CD Projekt when giving permission for them to make games based on his books. They offered to give him a percentage of the sales, but he refused it and said he wanted a 1 lump sum, so he agreed to $100,000.

And now he is bitter. Stating that his books are the reason why the games are so popular and that the games actually negatively effected his sales of the books.

He admits he made a stupid mistake of taking the 1 lump sum instead of the percentage of sales.

Here is a video talking about it



What are your thoughts?

[ThirdEye]

Tough s**t old f**k.

[theshadowcult]

How could the games have possibly negatively affect his books sales? I know multiple pople who bought the books to read after playing the game, i do not know a single person who knew of the books before the game...

[ThirdEye]

[Nunz]

Sounds like a moron. I've been wanting to grab the books but might just avoid that now. CDPR offered him a percentage and he decided on a lump sum of $100K. I hope he's not trying to spin this as CDPR are bad guys. He made a **** business decision.

[KAC]

lol pwnt.

[Nagorak]

Originally Posted by Nunz

Sounds like a moron. I've been wanting to grab the books but might just avoid that now. CDPR offered him a percentage and he decided on a lump sum of $100K. I hope he's not trying to spin this as CDPR are bad guys. He made a **** business decision.

The guy has sounded bitter in previous interviews too. Downplaying the games and their story in a way that made it seem like he thought they were a joke (like no way would he get deign involved in the story of the games). I think the guy just has a bad attitude. He should have taken the percentage and also asked to be involved creatively. Instead he took a lump sum, obviously thinking the game would probably just flop, and now he's upset about it for some reason.

The world in the Witcher is cool and all, but it's not that unique. Basically his books would never have been read outside of Poland or wherever he's from had it not been for the games. It certainly has to have helped sales of his books. I'd say the success of The Witcher is probably 20% the setting, and more like 80% CDPR's work in creating good games.

The author has always sounded like a miserable person who is griping about a good situation. He should be happy his ideas are out there to a larger audience, regardless of the financial benefit to himself.

[Eisberg]

I know in the past that his books were being sold with cover artwork from the games, and that really bothered him. I really do think that it bothers him so much that his books have become a big success because people found about it through a video game in which he feels are not art, so he is in denial about reality, his ego was hurt and he feels stupid for not taking the percentage deal.

[nutcrackr]

Yeah I can't say that the relationship there is good. Pretty sad really since he was the one who created the character and the world. CD Project Red took it to great places though.

The only reason I bought the last wish was because of the games. His logic is complete nonsense.

Now I need to get the Metro books.

[Hadberz]

the games actually negatively effected his sales of the book

Total nonsense. I bought the books because of the game. Never would have heard of them without the game.

[daPhoenix]

Originally Posted by Eisberg

Here is a video talking about it

What are your thoughts?

Could those two ****ing skanks be more annoying?

I could listen to them for 15 seconds before I wanted to physically punch them both in the face.

[mynakedrat2]

is that from the first game?
He justed wanted a hundred grand?
Who is he, dr evil?
Ill hold the world ransom for one hundred thousand (ugh, you mean million?)
One million dollars!
He lost out on one of the most awesome stories in gaming as of late, small dev making it big time. I am sure the guys at projekt red were nice, why didnt he listen? Does he mention that in the video, why? Did he have some drugs to buy real quick? Had to get some vodka?

[Nagorak]

Yeah, it's kind of weird he wanted a lump sum. It seems like a percentage of sales is usually how something like this would be structured by default. That's also the most cooperative arrangement because if the game does well, he does well. If the game does poorly, he doesn't get anything, but neither did the devs lose 100K on licensing his property. So, I think his choice of a lump sum probably reflected the same negative attitude he's still presenting.

Reading between the lines I think that what happened is this:

This is a man who has a general disdain for computer games, and probably doesn't understand them or realize it's a huge industry.

CDPR came to him and wanted to use his IP for their game. A nice guy would have said, "Hey, you want to use my stuff? That's great! Take it, and see what you can do, and I'll take a cut of the profits. This can only benefit me by getting publicity for my series, and maybe it will pay off too."

Instead he takes the attitude of "Look at these clueless schlubs! Yeah, sure, you can use my stuff, but you've got to cough up 100 grand!" figuring the game probably will fail anyway, so he'll squeeze a tidy sum out of them, provided they're stupid enough to pay it.

But then the game does well and the joke's on him. Now CDPR is making a lot of money off his idea and he looks and feels like an idiot. But it's really more like karmic payback for him taking an adversarial view of the whole enterprise from the start. He chose to hold a small start-up developer up for $100K, instead of taking a cooperative role where they both stood to benefit equally. Then rather than being a good sport about it, and trying to make lemonade out of lemons (it's got to still be benefiting his sales), he instead goes around griping like a sourpuss.

I basically have no sympathy for him, and based on his attitude I won't read his books either.

[ViN86]

Originally Posted by Eisberg

He agreed to a $100,000 deal with CD Projekt when giving permission for them to make games based on his books. They offered to give him a percentage of the sales, but he refused it and said he wanted a 1 lump sum, so he agreed to $100,000.

And now he is bitter. Stating that his books are the reason why the games are so popular and that the games actually negatively effected his sales of the books.

...

What are your thoughts?

TIL the game is based on a book.

[DaJMasta]

He's been bitter for a while. The guy basically thinks there's no merit in video games and that they're totally unpopular.... now he thinks his books would have been ultra popular if the games weren't made, which only demonstrates that he has no understanding of how marketing works


He made a bad decision and I do feel a little bad for him about that, but then he acts like a pompous, bitter, ass and I stop feeling bad for him.

[Jkmetal23]

I'll be bitter too if I had left so much money on the table.

[logical]

Maybe he was just in a bad spot financially when CDP came to him to buy the rights to make a game off of his books. At the end of the day he just made a bad business decision and is probably super salty about it. Never do a lump sum even if they initial amount is super small.

[mynakedrat2]

and hardly no one would have even heard about the books. Like there was this giant theater of people waiting at his house to buy the books, lets say 1 million peoiple. then they all heard about the video game, and left to go play it?

Gimme a vreak , this guy. any press is good press, and he shouild be happy people know who he is now. he should be riding this and expand on it. poor dude, butthurt

[Higgy10]

before witcher 1, never heard of the guy. after witcher 1, bought all of his english books


stopping crying and translate the rest if you want more cash

[koralis]

Originally Posted by Nagorak

I'll take a cut of the profits. .

That's almost always a loser's deal. Take a cut of GROSS REVENUES, SALES, ETC... not profit. Accountants have ways of making sure that even highly successful enterprises somehow lose money on paper.

[Ne0Griever]

Hope this doesn't mean no more Witcher games.

[Eisberg]

Originally Posted by Ne0Griever

Hope this doesn't mean no more Witcher games.

He sold the rights for an indefinite time.

[bittermann]

He "played" the game and lost...this is real life so no do-overs. There was no guarantee the game(s) were going to be that good and profitable.

[GTwannabe]

Lump sum was the "smart" thing to do. Medieval themed hack-and-slash based on an obscure Polish fantasy novel will turn a profit? Yeah, right.

Also, Witcher 1 was a horribly broken mess of code on release. It would have died in the bargain bin had CD Projekt not sunk $1 million into the massive Enhanced Edition patch.

[yoz]

Should've made it a lump sum PLUS royalties..

[OzzieBloke]

Make your choice, live with the consequences, and don't bitch about it: That's life.

[Eisberg]

Originally Posted by OzzieBloke

Make your choice, live with the consequences, and don't bitch about it: That's life.

How does that work out for you considering all the bitches you have to deal with?

[OzzieBloke]

Originally Posted by Eisberg

How does that work out for you considering all the bitches you have to deal with?

Yeah, but my bitches love me unconditionally.

[sygnus21]

Originally Posted by Eisberg

He agreed to a $100,000 deal with CD Projekt when giving permission for them to make games based on his books. They offered to give him a percentage of the sales, but he refused it and said he wanted a 1 lump sum, so he agreed to $100,000.

And now he is bitter. Stating that his books are the reason why the games are so popular and that the games actually negatively effected his sales of the books.

He admits he made a stupid mistake of taking the 1 lump sum instead of the percentage of sales.

Here is a video talking about it



What are your thoughts?

Man up and live with the business decision made. Seems to me the author gambled and lost and is now crying. Sometimes greed works against you.

Hind sight being what it is, perhaps the wiser decision would have been to take both cash and a percentage. Too late now.

[Ravens Nest]

I thank him for the great characters, locals and monsters that he created without him there would be no Witcher 1-3 and beyond.

But tough titty lol