The Witcher 3 10th anniversary interview – the making of The Last Wish

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As a devoted gamer, I recently dived back into the richly woven world of The Witcher 3 for its tenth anniversary. What sets this game apart is how flawlessly it blends the main storyline with side missions, allowing both major and minor characters to evolve and shine in their moments. To celebrate this RPG masterpiece, I had a fascinating chat with the writers, directors, and quest designers who brought The Witcher 3’s captivating narrative to life. Here’s my take on what makes a great Witcher 3 quest.

In this installment, let’s delve into a fundamental relationship in the whole Witcher saga: the connection between Geralt and Yennefer. This bond may be solidified as true love or exposed as deception in an adventure titled “The Last Wish.

During the final stages of creating The Witcher 3, the team assembled The Last Wish. By this point, they had already planned out the siege at Kaer Morhen and Geralt’s encounters with his romantic interests, taking into account all possible player choices. Furthermore, due to localization expenses, they set a limit of 250 dialogue lines per side quest.

According to story director Marcin Blacha, the approach required brevity, packing in as much information as possible through succinct statements and dialogue.

To ensure that Geralt’s potential romantic interest proved fruitful, the game directors at the time, Konrad Tomaszkiewicz and Mateusz Tomaszkiewicz, along with Marcin Blacha and Paweł Sasko (associate game director), spent two hours brainstorming a plan for what eventually developed into The Last Wish.

According to Paweł Sasko, our team crafted the overall framework for the storyline. Our aim was to offer players a satisfying romantic experience with both Yennefer and Triss in our game, providing engaging choices that would leave a lasting impression. I aimed for something impactful, and I had several ideas. At that time, there weren’t many quests in top-tier games delving into mature themes like the Bloody Baron in 2012. This was also my approach with The Last Wish. My initial idea was quite bold, but we ultimately chose not to pursue it.

According to legend, sorceresses are unable to have children due to a potent ritual they perform to amplify their hidden powers. Initially, Sasko’s concept centered on Yennefer’s longing to reclaim one thing she never had in life — something beyond her control, being her physical form that has already been altered by magic. Upon further reflection, the team recognized another aspect of her life where she held no power — her feelings for Geralt.

In Andrzej Sapkowski’s short story, “The Last Wish,” Geralt employs his last wish with a djinn to tie his destiny to Yennefer in order to shield her from the wrath of the magical entity. In The Witcher 3, Yennefer leads Geralt on a quest to locate another genie and break the spell to determine whether their love is genuine or an illusion.

In my perspective, we opted for a more heartfelt approach that strengthens their bond. The initial concept I shared might come across as somewhat self-centered, as it focuses more on her rather than the mutual connection between them. It was crucial for us to portray her as warm and relatable, given how significant Geralt is in her life.

In the narrative, Yennefer initiates the quest with Geralt, keeping the real purpose hidden until he fully engages. This method of storytelling is a common practice by CD Projekt Red in their games, enticing the player with vague or misleading details before flipping expectations. When executed skillfully, this technique can be potent, but it requires careful handling to prevent players from feeling deceived. It’s also important to ensure that Yennefer doesn’t seem uncaring towards Geralt’s emotions in the process of withholding information.

CD Projekt Red circumvents similar challenges in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt by employing a technique reminiscent of their other projects, such as Cyberpunk 2077. In the mission “Pyramid Song” from Cyberpunk 2077, the protagonist goes scuba diving with Judy, a potential love interest, and delves into her submerged hometown. Throughout this adventure, an unusual connection forms between them as they share each other’s feelings, fostering a profound intimacy that strengthens their bond, whether or not you choose to pursue romance with her.

The story of “The Last Wish” commences on a boat. Yennefer takes control (a unique situation since Geralt never shares a boat trip in the game) while you sail, searching for a sunken ship. This voyage not only enhances Geralt and Yennefer’s bond but also offers insights from Andrzej Sapkowski’s books for those who are unfamiliar with them. As Geralt submerges beneath the water, Yennefer employs telepathy to connect their minds, communicating silently within each other’s thoughts as Geralt’s senses other than hearing are weakened by the sea.

The narrative of “The Last Wish” starts on a boat where Yennefer takes charge (a situation distinct to the game since Geralt never shares a boat ride elsewhere). You sail in search of a wreck, deepening Geralt and Yennefer’s bond while providing background from Andrzej Sapkowski’s books for new readers. While submerged underwater, Yennefer utilizes telepathy to connect their minds, speaking to each other mentally as Geralt’s senses other than hearing are affected by the sea.

Sasko shares that he appreciates contrast when telling stories. He wanted to immerse players in a romantic atmosphere as they sail with Yennefer on a boat, experiencing spells, hearing her voice in Geralt’s mind, and building an intimate connection. This gradual shift towards romance was intentional, aiming to create a striking contrast that would catch the audience off-guard yet still be logical and thrilling.

Upon surfacing and boarding the boat, you discover half of a ship’s crest hidden among underwater debris. After counting to three, Yennefer teleports you to the other half, revealing the rest of the wreckage in a mountainous location. A burst of bright light ensues, followed by a landscape of snow-capped peaks and frigid winds. The UI confirms your arrival atop Skellige’s mountains, where a desolate mountaintop houses the ship, abandoned without any water nearby. It seems the captain’s wish to escape, granted by the djinn, had led to this lonely fate for the vessel.

Sasko explains that the djinn performed an action which resulted in the formation of a sphere that excised a section of the ship. He was searching for a striking juxtaposition, desiring to construct a sphere that would excise part of the land as well, giving the illusion of being at the deepest point in our world when diving. Then he transported you from that depth to the highest possible location. This technique involves layering contrasts, one after another. In both storytelling and an effective quest, every action serves multiple purposes. Sasko aimed to astonish the player, ensure it aligned with the narrative, make it distinctive, and provide a platform for artists to showcase their talents.

In the manner similar to the Judy encounter in Cyberpunk 2077, Sasko explores connections, bonds, and relationships through his artistic expressions. These elements are prevalent throughout Night City, whether it’s the influence of Johnny Silverhand’s persona on V’s mind or the reversion to primitive behaviors when individuals augment too much of their bodies with technology. This is due to Sasko’s background as a psychologist, who takes delight in delving into these themes and manipulating our emotions.

Sasko shares that one of his favorite activities is to discuss psychology-related topics in unconventional ways, sparking curiosity among players. As an artist, he aims to provide entertainment and inspire, rather than instruct or educate. However, he wants to demonstrate how people can connect emotionally with others. When playing games like The Witcher, you can experience these emotional connections and gain a deeper understanding of empathy. This is one way games can shape culture; the impact lingers for a significant period, becoming a meaningful part of your life.

In crafting their game quests, CDPR developers always keep two aspects in mind: the player’s thoughts and emotions. The goal is to influence the former to trigger the latter. For quests like ‘The Last Wish’, there are numerous factors at play. To begin with, it’s a sidequest. Since they don’t know your previous actions when you start the quest (or if you’ll even choose to do it), the developers use what Sasko calls a “bridge” to make the transition smoother.

In The Last Wish, your arrival at the quaint town with its tavern serves to introduce Yennefer, who is surrounded by villagers, reinforcing her role in the world and making her presence felt beyond just Geralt. As the story unfolds, the setting transitions. Inside the tavern, Yennefer guides you into a more private space, where it’s dimly lit with a fire burning, creating an intimate atmosphere separate from the rowdy villagers outside. This helps to make Yennefer feel more authentic as a character.

In his role as a designer, Sasko expresses that his primary objective is to help remind you about Yennefer, in case her character might have slipped your mind due to recent life events such as the birth of your child or a long holiday. Essentially, he’s constructing a bridge to ensure everyone’s up-to-date on who she is.

As you move from the tavern setting to your initial voyage, the developers aim to establish the atmosphere of the upcoming story, helping you emotionally prepare and predispose your feelings. From manipulating the weather to ensuring you witness a seldom-seen whale breaking the water’s surface, the designers carefully construct a romantic ambiance as you navigate tranquil waters.

Sasko clarifies, “The secret lies in figuring out how far I can go without the player noticing. I can’t reveal to you that I’m making these moves,” yet his actions clearly indicate that he is indeed doing so.

Just as the townsfolk in the story scrutinize Yennefer’s character, your team thoroughly examines hers too. She’s not just a bystander; she actively assists. She employs magic to connect minds and generate sonar pulses to detect wreckage, guides you, and even aids you in defeating a djinn at the end of the quest. This strong sorceress is one of the reasons Geralt admires her deeply.

You might have observed that Geralt behaves in a lighter manner around Yennefer, telling more jokes and being less formal – this is due to the carefully crafted character guidelines established by CDPR. It’s this level of detail that leads to innovative features such as the sonar system and sharing a boat with an NPC for a specific, easily missable quest.

According to Marcin Blacha, when it comes to Geralt, we’ve established a series of guidelines. For instance, he’s quite mysterious, has associates, and uses ‘zaraza’ in Polish. As writers, we strive to make our characters feel authentic. Occasionally, we may break the rules for a quick joke or comedic moment. Generally, we aim to stay true to the books, remembering that The Witcher is a franchise built on its characters and their relationships. Therefore, it was essential to develop them as thoroughly and intriguingly as possible.

In simpler terms, The Witcher 3 stands out due to its unexpected side stories, whether they involve Geralt’s love for someone other than Yennefer or resolving past relationships with Triss. These smaller tales make the game unique because they feel personal and significant, regardless of your allegiances. Just keep in mind that CDPR skillfully positioned you on this emotional tightrope, providing a comfortable cushion for you to balance on.

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2025-05-16 16:47