The Witcher - Atari Signs up for NA

Atari and CD Projekt have signed a distribution deal for The Witcher in NA with the release due in the Fall:

NEW YORK, February 5, 2007 – Atari, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATAR), one of the world’s most recognized brands and a third-party video game publisher, and game developer CD Projekt Sp. z.o.o. today announced that the companies have entered into a publishing agreement for The Witcher, whereby Atari will market and distribute CD Projekt’s upcoming fantasy role-playing game (RPG) throughout North America. The Witcher is scheduled for release on Games for Windows, the new brand optimized for Windows XP and Windows Vista, in North America in Fall 2007.

The Witcher transcends traditional fantasy role-playing by throwing players into a unique world rife with political intrigue, in which the lines between good and evil are blurred. Based on the world created by best-selling Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski’s novels, The Witcher casts players as Geralt, a legendary monster slayer and master swordfighter with supernatural abilities and reflexes. The Witcher presents a fresh approach to traditional role-playing, blending an expansive, twisting plotline – in which the impact of individual decisions can drastically alter the outcome of the game – and fast-paced combat against a wide variety of foes. Using advanced graphics and physics systems, The Witcher delivers brutal action, multi-faceted RPG options and an intriguing story to engulf all players who dare.

“The Witcher is a tremendous game that has been on everyone’s radar since CD Projekt began development,” said Jeremiah Cohn, Product Manager, Atari, Inc. “With this publishing deal, Atari continues its quest to bring highly impressive titles to North America and we have our sights set on making The Witcher one of the most anticipated RPGs of the year.”

“We are delighted to begin a mutually beneficial relationship with Atari, a publishing partner that shares our commitment to delivering a top-quality role-playing game,” said Michal Kicinski, Joint CEO of CD Projekt. “We are very much looking forward to working with Atari to bring this distinctive fantasy world that we love to a broad audience.”

For more information about The Witcher visit www.thewitcher.com and for more details about Atari’s entire product line up visit www.atari.com.

More information.

That's really great news! Now we can start to dig in and get ready for this!

I was really worried when I saw this earlier, since atari has not pulled their head out of their butt yet, and they have yet to let a game get close to finishing before forcing it out prematurely, at least recently.

Then I remembered they didn't finace this at all so they have no say about pushing it out the door too early, woot.

So congrats, CD Projekt.

It's shame that you will have this game in autumn,
we here at europe will be able to play this in spring.
I think it's time to get some work for money to make comp. upgrade
Can't wait!

Well, there is one advantage to getting it late--it ought to have at least one patch by then

@AC Yes, I also had a kneejerk reaction when I saw the Atari thing--left over from ToEE, etc---but hopefully not having the developers under their financial thumb will help. I would bet on some pretty heavy censorship,tho.

Yeah, but who's releasing it in Australia!!

Originally Posted by magerette
Well, there is one advantage to getting it late--it ought to have at least one patch by then

@AC Yes, I also had a kneejerk reaction when I saw the Atari thing--left over from ToEE, etc---but hopefully not having the developers under their financial thumb will help. I would bet on some pretty heavy censorship,tho.

I had exactly the same reaction!

Censorship? But The Witcher has tons of adult themes…

All in all, I'm pretty sure The Witcher won't end up like poor TOEE *prays fervently*

Funny how you never have to eat in these game but alcohol and other liquid drugs are always featured. It would be more refreshing to get boosts from veggies than drugs.

Originally Posted by Corwin
Yeah, but who's releasing it in Australia!!

There are people living in Australia?

Yeah, we don't go around shooting each other down here like they do in many other parts of the world!!

Bah, no wonder nobody knows your there start showing some initiative!

Originally Posted by Acleacius
Bah, no wonder nobody knows your there start showing some initiative!

Really - you need some grandiose acts of international stupidity to get noticed, ad therefore get games published. I have just the guy for you - he'll become available in just over a year …

And here are 3 new screenshots form The Witcher:

http://www.gram.pl/news.asp?id=3472

Atari in North America? I wish them more luck than Gothic 2 had …

Originally Posted by Gorath
Atari in North America? I wish them more luck than Gothic 2 had …

They did crap to promote Gothic 2 … but remember that they also did NWN & NWN2 and many other games …

http://www.gram.pl/upl/news/120070205175301.jpg
This screenshot looks amazing.

Originally Posted by txa1265
They did crap to promote Gothic 2 … but remember that they also did NWN & NWN2 and many other games …

Their marketing of G2 made the impression on me as if they had decided to buy the rights to get a competing product out of the market.
NWN is their own game. Can you name one RPG Atari published in NA which they didn´t fund AND which was a success in the last few years?

Originally Posted by Gorath
Can you name one RPG Atari published in NA which they didn´t fund AND which was a success in the last few years?

I don't know what games they did or didn't fund … but guessing based on their catalog I'd say 'none' …

Atari did also a very poor job with NWN1 and although I'm not inside Bio, I suspect that was one of the key reasons of their 'divorce'.

How do you figure that? I'm not an Atari fan but the multi-million unit sales of NWN and years of support suggests it wasn't that bad.