In a move I'm sure almost nobody saw coming, Andrzej Sapkowski, author of the Witcher novels that inspired the game series, is demanding CD Projekt RED pay him R232 on top of what has been agreed upon when the company initially acquired the rights to the Witcher universe for their games.
He signed a deal and he needs to live with it. Maybe be less negative next time someone approaches you for a project.
My initial reaction to this is that the guy is being greedy - especially if it was the case that he rejected a percentage royalty and chose a lump sum payment and now that the games have brought in millions wants to demand royalties too.
On the other hand - imagine seeing someone profit massively at least in part due to your work. Sure you have received payment for it but now the franchise is far more successful than anyone had expected. To be fair, that is thanks to CD Projekt Red’s massive effort to create top-notch games - but maybe an offering of gratitude to the author of the source material would have been a great gesture. Thing is, Sapkowski could have been smart and offered to be involved in a consulting capacity rather than bringing a law suit.
Also if the copyright was limited to the first game then why only make a fuss about it after the 3 game and its expansions and not immediately at the time when the second game was beginning production.
So all in all it looks like a case of greed at play here. Sapkowski should be grateful, surely the sale of his books has drastically increased thanks to the success of the games?
He’s only asking for $16 million? I’m sure CDPR can easily pay him that or at least close to that without breaking the bank. Then again i do agree that they had made a bad decision and that he’ll just have to live with that.
Exactly. Why wait until now if he knew it was an issue when the first game was done already?
And yes, I can promise you that the games have in fact increased the popularity of the books drastically. Lots of people would never have read the books if not for the games. I know of people who NEVER read who have gone out of their way to read the Witcher novels because they loved the game(s).
damn greed.
yes he is regretting his business decision but it was not a bad decision. it was just conservative.
he should leave cd projekt, its because of their games that there will a Netflix show. Im sure he will coin it from that too.
He’s close to “life retirement”, who’s the 16M for? I assume his offspring…
Still, I’m in camp CDPR with what I’ve heard so far…
