The ESRB appears to have outed the Xbox 360 version of The Witcher 2 with an updated rating that includes the console version of the game.
Speculation among RPG fans about a console version of The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings was not uncommon in the weeks and months leading up to the release of the game. CD Projekt had previously tried to bring the franchise to consoles with Rise of the White Wolf, which collapsed fairly early in the development process, so a second attempt with the sequel seemed likely, and the rumor machine went up to 11 in April thanks to a German translation of a Polish television show in which CD Projekt co-founder Michal Kicinski stated that 360 and PS3 versions were in the works.
CD Projekt refused to confirm the report but it became even more apparent that Geralt’s buttons would be mashed yesterday, when senior producer Tomasz Gop said that a new Witcher title would be revealed at E3 and that “console gamers might be interested in it.” But thanks to the ESRB, we might not have to wait for E3 at all: its rating page now lists the game as a Windows PC and Xbox 360 title.
It won’t be terribly surprising if it turns out to be correct [which it almost certainly is] but it will be interesting to see how the game fares as a console release. For once I actually don’t want to fan the flames of the PC vs. console debate, but The Witcher is a relatively hardcore RPG when compared to games like Dragon Age or Fable, which could keep console versions from achieving a level of success comparable to what it’s enjoyed on the PC. Or is that an unfair generalization?
The ESRB doesn’t have anything to say about a PlayStation 3 version of the game at the moment but it’s a fair assumption that if this 360 business is legit, a PS3 edition will show up at some point as well. We’ve dropped a line to the good folks at CD Projekt to ask about this latest development and we’ll update when we hear back.
Thanks to Lost in the Void for the tip.
