The Witcher 3 Dev Reveals the Game Originally Had a Bank Heist
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek's network of contributors
The Witcher 3 is celebrating its tenth anniversary, and with it comes a host of interviews across a number of outlets with the game's development team at CD Projekt Red. Earlier in the week we learned some juicy details about how the game's most memorable sidequest was almost very different, and it turns out that wasn't the only one.
According to CD Projekt Red quest designer Danisz Markiewicz, one fan favorite quest from the Hearts of Stone DLC, Open Sesame, originally started off as a bank heist, before the team decided it wanted to go even bigger. The result was the quest that we got in the final game, which had Geralt pulling together a team of roguish misfits to run a heist on an auction house.
"We wanted to have something more interactive," Markiewicz told DBLTAP in an interview. "The whole section of Geralt taking part in an auction, getting to meet people from high society, actually buying stuff – that felt very compelling. A bank heist could have certain opportunities, but this was on a completely different level."
A screenshot from the Open Sesame quest in The Witcher 3, showing Geralt and others planning a heist.
A screenshot from the Open Sesame quest in The Witcher 3, showing Geralt and others planning a heist.
CD Projekt
CD Projekt put great care into making sure its characters were a good fit for the bombastic nature of the quest, which takes inspiration from films such as Point Break and Ocean's Eleven. But, because CD Projekt never makes anything easy for itself, designers decided to have multiple options for each role in the heist, which required a lot of careful planning and clever execution to make the whole thing work.
"We didn't want to redo the entire scene," Markiewicz said. "So we developed some new tech to implement a scene so that those characters are technically there, but if they're not present, another character takes their place. You see that in several scenes – for example, when they're talking over the whole plan. If someone were to play this scene just as it is, you would get two characters talking over each other. Almost like Schrödinger's cat."
The quest also originally had plans for a magical security system, with a magic portal whisking Geralt away and into a cave with a Golem. Instead, Markiewicz said, the team decided to keep the quest a little more grounded, eschewing magic altogether and having Geralt dropped through a trapdoor into a pit of spiders.
All of this comes with the context that CD Projekt Red is currently hard at work developing The Witcher 4, which will be the first in a trilogy of games focused on Geralt's apprentice Ciri. The game is currently in development using Unreal Engine, a departure from the studio's usual in-house engine, but one that should allow developers to spend less time tinkering with its engine and more time crafting memorable quests.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Newsweek
Server Brings Baby to Party She's Working—Then a Guest Notices
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Social media users have praised a family who instantly stepped up to help a server at their party who brought her baby to work. Hilda Reza, 23, was attending a Catholic confirmation party in May with her family. While they were enjoying the celebrations, they noticed that one of the servers had her 4-month-old daughter in a stroller beside her while she worked. Many of the guests complimented the server on her "beautiful baby girl," and Reza told Newsweek that her family was more than happy to help her out with some babysitting duties throughout the night. "My family is very loving, especially when it comes to children, so of course they really wanted to hold her," Reza, of Minnesota, said. Several of the guests, including Reza's mother, held the baby throughout the party and ensured she was well cared for while her mother worked. They even took the baby onto the dance floor. Hilda Reza's mom holding the server's baby after noticing her at the party. Hilda Reza's mom holding the server's baby after noticing her at the party. @honey_hrm / TikTok "I believe the mom was happy with the inclusion, and with how well people handled the situation. I could see that she was really proud to talk about her baby when I asked how she was," Reza said. Thankfully, the server was able to tend to her daughter throughout the evening, and she didn't have to work for too long in total. Reza told Newsweek: "The party wasn't huge, so the server's job was over really fast. Of course, if any of us had seen baby cry at any point, we would have stepped up and helped her out." After seeing her family dote over the server's baby, Reza couldn't resist sharing a video on TikTok (@honey_hrm). In a matter of days, the video has gone viral with over 3 million views and more than 432,300 likes at the time of writing. She's been blown away by the online response to her video, but Reza hopes it can shine a light on the "hard-working mom" who had to bring her daughter to work. The caption alongside the video reads: "TikTok, do your work and bless this mama." The video has already garnered over 1,700 comments on TikTok, with many social media users praising the family for their help. Among the responses was a comment from the server herself, who wrote: "Thank you so much I really appreciate it, sending lots of love to your family as well." A TikTok user commented: "This made me tear up. Thank you for being kind." Another social media user wrote: "baby had the best night." While one comment reads: "Thank you! I'm sure she was scared but had no other choice! Some aren't fortunate to have the extra help!" Do you have any viral videos or pictures that you want to share? We want to see the best ones! Send them to life@ and they could appear on our site.
Newsweek
4 hours ago
- Newsweek
Labrador Who Never Misses Mail Lady's Visit Named Pet of the Week
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. From an orange cat who hid from his sitter for four days to an unexpected pet going in for a cuddle, there have been lots of heartwarming pet stories this week. We also love to feature our readers' pet videos and pictures in the weekly Pet of the Week line-up. If you think your pet should be next week's Pet of the Week, be sure to follow the instructions at the end of this story to get involved. Winner Pictures of Emmy the dog, excitedly greeting the post lady. Pictures of Emmy the dog, excitedly greeting the post lady. Russell Fenton @EmmyTheLab/YouTube This week's Pet of the Week winner is Emmy, a Labrador retriever who has a heartwarming relationship with an unexpected person—the mail lady. While many dogs are famously cautious of the moment mail is delivered, Emmy is delighted. "Every day, Emmy patiently waits on the front lawn for her favorite visitor: Kristy the mail lady," owner Russell Fenton told Newsweek. With gentle enthusiasm, Emmy climbs into the vehicle to receive her daily treat from Kirsty. "It's a sweet and calm routine that's become a beloved part of the neighborhood," Fenton said. A heartwarming video captured the special moment, shared on Emmy's very own YouTube channel that already has over 155,000 subscribers—proving just how much her heartwarming routine resonates with pet lovers. Finalists Pictures of Jazz the dog living her best life. Pictures of Jazz the dog living her best life. Manuela Friedman Our first finalist this week is Jazz. Almost one year old, she was rescued by her owner at just 10 weeks after being discovered on the side of the streets in Torrington, Connecticut. "When I saw her scruffy face, the feathery ears, and her blue and brown eye, I just melted and applied immediately, a day later she was mine," owner Manuela Friedman told Newsweek. Since then, Jazz has filled the family with joy. "She is such a spirited and smart dog, friendly to everyone she meets," Friedman said. Her favorite things to do include chasing squirrels, chipmunks and going to visit the neighbors who are all enamored with her. "It is amazing, but somehow people are really drawn to her, strangers stop and want to touch her, give her compliments, and feel happier after getting a little puppy love from her," the owner said. Baxter the dog as a puppy, left, and recently, right. Baxter the dog as a puppy, left, and recently, right. David Markley Next up this week is Baxter who was found abandoned at a local Walmart when David Markley's sister picked him up. "He was about 7 weeks old and he was very hungry she fed him but could not keep him because she lived in an apartment and already had a dog," Markley told Newsweek. He had recently lost his beloved dog of 15 years, Yogi, but when his sister called and asked for help with Baxter, he couldn't refuse. "She brought him to the house and of course my wife and I fell in love with him and he has been with us for almost two years now," Markley said. "Baxter loves to be loved and gives it right back tenfold." Pictures of Romeo the Goldendoodle. Pictures of Romeo the Goldendoodle. Tim Nicholls Last but not least this week is goldendoodle Romeo, also known as Romeo Lloyd Nicholls, RLN, Romes, Romey and Bunny. "We chose him—or he chose our son—from his siblings as he seemed the most lively yet laid back, curious and sweet," owner Tim Nicholls told Newsweek. Eight years later, Romeo is still as lively as he was as a puppy, and a much loved part of the family. "You know he loves you as he jumps up to hug you hello and he loves everyone," Nicholls said. Romeo also has a habit remarkably similar to that of Emmy—he loves to say hello to delivery drivers. "Romeo manages to jump in the back of the Amazon truck on most days and has a particular obsession with USPS vans. When one drives by, he simply stops and stares intently until the van has disappeared," Nicholls said. If you think your pet could be next week's Newsweek "Pet of the Week," send us your funny and heartwarming videos and pictures of your pet, along with a bit about them to life@ and they could appear in our "Pet of the Week" lineup.
Newsweek
7 hours ago
- Newsweek
Mom Thinks Her Family Is Complete, Then Gets Biggest Shock
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A mom of three thought she was done having children, then got the biggest shock of her life. After welcoming two boys—Carter, now 6, and Eli, 4— Haley and Will Spannagel were overjoyed to meet their daughter Emery in 2023. "It truly felt like our family was complete," Haley told Newsweek. "Life was busy, but full in the best way, and we both agreed we were ready to close the baby chapter." Split view of Haley and Will Spannagel with their three young children and Will in the emergency room post vasectomy procedure. Split view of Haley and Will Spannagel with their three young children and Will in the emergency room post vasectomy procedure. @haleyspannagel Will's vasectomy was subsequently scheduled for August 8 and the parents felt at peace with their decision. But two days later, Haley took a pregnancy test and it was positive. "[I] immediately thought it had to be wrong," the 26-year-old said. At her obstetrician appointment on August 12, Haley's doctor noted her HCG levels were higher than expected. "[I] thought I must be further along than we expected," she said. But on August 16, the ultrasound told a very different story: not just one surprise baby, but two. "I cried. Then I laughed. Then I cried again. It truly felt like a real-life version of the TikTok trend—just total disbelief," Haley told Newsweek. As the couple tried to process the twin bombshell, the unimaginable was around the corner. On September 27, Hurricane Helene struck their region—and their home was among the thousands lost. "It was devastating," Haley said. "Processing a surprise twin pregnancy while navigating the chaos of displacement added an entirely new level of shock. We were in survival mode emotionally and mentally." The following year in March, Will and Haley welcomed twins Asher and Adeline. "Life has truly been a blur since," Haley told Newsweek. There is zero silence or sleep—but also so much love and laughter." The mom of five posted their story in a clip on TikTok, which has been viewed 1.8 million times. Over a thousand other users commented on the clip, many of whom congratulated the new parents. "Not your plans but God's plans," one user wrote. "I'm going to avoid my husband like the plague when he gets snipped, before and after," a second user joked. A third user shared how they got their "surprise" at age 39. With five children under the age of seven, Haley described heir home as "beautifully chaotic." Carter, Eli, and Emery dote on their new siblings, and Katie and Will are learning to navigate life as a team of seven. "It's not easy, but it's ours, and we feel so grateful, even on the hard days," she said.
