Witcher 2 version 2.0 arriving September 29, included in Xbox 360 version

by Alexander Sliwinski on Aug 17th 2011 10:05AM

The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings will be upgraded to version 2.0 on PC with an automatic update on September 29, CD Projekt revealed today at Gamescom. The free enhancements include a new tutorial system to train players on the game's mechanics, hopefully sparing the frustration of dying 18 times in the first 20 minutes of the game.

It will also add a "Dark Mode" difficulty, which is like Insane Mode but allows saving. There will also be a new "Arena Mode," an arcade-style survival mode that has you hacking and slashing through wave after wave of ever-more-hearty beasts. The update throws in 20 new tech enhancements that the devs didn't delve into.

CD Projekt also announced that the Xbox 360 version of The Witcher 2, scheduled for Q1 2012, will include all the DLC updates to the game, including the 2.0 version.

Tags: CD-Projekt, cd-projekt-red, Gamescom-2011, microsoft, pc, the-witcher-2, xbox

Reader Comments (32)

Sweet can't wait for Q1 2012.

One thing I didn't like at all: No Time To RTFM ( read the f@ manual ). Actually, "tutorial" in this case. Why not having the ability to close it myself?

Did they redesign the inventory? First experience looks like a complete mess. You need time to get used to. Anyway, right now I don't have any problem.

really looking forward for this game on the XBOX 360. How can you go wrong with a game that has Vader doing a song for the soundtrack of the first one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_a8Pv7grd0&hd=1

Play this game in 3D, it's stunning.

Witcher 2 is far and away my favorite game so far this year. I can't wait for this update to go give it another play through.

@Miketor
Very much agreed. I can't remember the last time I felt so engrossed in a story, so conflicted and torn with some of the choices I had to make, so disgusted and furious at some of the shit that happens to characters I genuinely cared about.

It may not be perfect, but The Witcher 2 is my new gold standard for what a modern RPG should be.

CD Projekt Red had the balls to make two completely separate games for the entire second act - and they had confidence to believe that their game was good enough that people would want to play both. No simplistic good or evil paths, either, just a series of difficult choices that, no matter how hard you try, will never lead to a 100%-happy ending.
And THAT is how you do "choice", not with the usual "Hitler or Jesus" shtick that most supposedly open-ended games pull.

Looking forward to the 360 version of this like no tomorrow.

@This Little Man Says His Name Is

Thankfully 'tomorrow' we have to look forward to Dark Souls and Skyrim for our fantasy fix until Witcher 2 arrives. Then Kindoms of Amalur around the same time as well.

Great game so far, now adding this is a big plus... but this game is like Demons Souls, it doesnt hold back, but to me its better that way.

Congrats 360 gamers. Why isn't this being released for the PS3, anyone know?

@LimitedVertigo They said they would like to put it on PS3 given the chance, but it's not in the works as of yet. Perhaps waiting to see if it succeeds on 360 first before moving to the console with a smaller user base?

@LimitedVertigo

A combination of reasons: CD Projekt only really focuses on one thing at a time, which is why they focused on perfecting the PC version before doing the 360 version. The game engine works fine on PC, 360 and PS3, and since they already have people with experience on 360 games, its a pretty easy transition to downgrade it and port it to 360. They intend to port it to PS3 after the 360 version, but they have to find some people with experience on PS3 ports before that really can become a reality.

Of course, they also intended to release The Witcher 1 for 360 and PS3, but that never came to fruition. Fortunately, whereas the original engine was designed for PC and they tried to get it to work with PS3/360, the new engine was designed with the consoles in mind, so the 360/PS3 ports are relatively simple by comparison.

Sweet I'm going to play Dark Mode. =D

After that, its Insane. (Hope I don't die)

Am I the only one who has owned the first Witcher for a long time, but barely played it? I'm still in the starting castle.

@SisypheanLife No, actually, I'm in the exact same boat. Owned the game forever, still in the first castle.

There seem to have be a lot of updates to this game, was it pushed out early and unfinished or are they just comitted devs? I haven't played it so i'm just curious!

@Subs

These devs don't ever seem to be truly satisfied with their final product. The Witcher 1 had two major revisions which expanded the product as well and tweaked details to try and provide a better experience, both of which were free with purchase. Basically, they want to find ways to make a great game even greater.

@Subs

It's a bit of both, really. The game is great even in its current form, but the sheer size and depth of the game required a larger QA team than CD Projekt could provide. In the end, the consumers ended up being that team, and the devs have worked with the community to provide the fixes necessary to render the game a finished product.

@freaparn

It's nice to know 360 owners will get a really polished version next year, unlike some releases (Fallout NV).

@Subs
Commited Devs.

This used to be something pretty regular., Devs actually caring about their product. Normally when you see this much post-release support these days it's followed by a price tag.

CDP kickin' it old school.

A tutorial? Pfft. It's a game of adaptations.

What to do at that group of two guards with a third one being an archer slightly off to the side?
--Run in and hack and slash your way to victory like the rest of the RPG games you've ever pla-... wait. Nevermind. You died.

Go back and try a different strategy.

To you guys who have played the PC version. Do you think it'll play well with a controller?

@Supino

I have the wireless dongle so I played through the entire game with a controller. It was pretty good. I did use keyboard and mouse for the inventory stuff though.

@Supino

I actually found that it played more smoothly with a controller, especially during combat.

I was using a 360 controller, if it matters.

THIS is how you support a game. Other developers, pay attention

The biggest flaw with the old "tutorial" segment is that it didn't tell you everything, but as a new player, you expected it too. Had there been no "tutorial" I probably would have faired better because I would have looked stuff up instead of waiting for the game to tell me how to play (and then the game didn't really tell me much of anything)

Tutorials are for bitchers not witchers. Seriously though, I hope it opens the game up for more people. It's a great RPG.

yay bought it on PC but it unfortunately unplayable even on lowest setting due to my pc sucking major ass so i gladly buy it on xbox.

I just got the game today and all I can say is I like it. I can play it in high spec mode due to my video card but can't wait for xbox 360 edition.

I dont know whether or not to be happy that theres a heap of RPGs coming out, or be sad that my RPG backlog is just getting bigger and bigger.

Version 2.0 for the PC is great news - I love that they are so focused on perfecting the PC version.

OTOH, this is horrible timing for me. I JUST started playing The Witcher 2 on my high-spec PC (can play at full rez with almost ALL the settings maxed, and the graphics in this game blow away anything a PS3 or XB360 can do).

I actually just finished playing The Witcher Enhanced Edition for the first time a week ago. I was glad that I got to play the second, upgraded edition of that game.

Now I am not sure what to do. I can skip the tutorial. But the "20 new tech enhancements" make me wonder if I should wait to play any further until the patch comes out?!?!?!?!?

I don't play through these long open world games more than once (although I am a "completionist" doing all the side quests, so it's not like I am trying to miss out), and I'll likely have finished The Witcher 2 before v 2.0 comes out.

But, in any case, kudos to the developer for supporting the game so well!

@bsd107 Frankly, there's no glaring issue in the default game. At this point I believe most of the fixes are there simply for finesse, anyway.

The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings

Witcher 2 version 2.0 arriving September 29, included in Xbox 360 version

Reader Comments (32)

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 10:19AM kmcroc said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 10:25AM Deo Domuique said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 10:26AM Therion said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 10:30AM maxxgold said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 10:31AM Miketor said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 3:04PM Antiterra said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 10:32AM This Little Man Says His Name Is said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 11:47AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 10:50AM MavrikG said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 11:14AM LimitedVertigo said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 11:31AM edofyingfilms said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 11:34AM SisypheanLife said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 11:56AM xiLeShadow said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 12:07PM SisypheanLife said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 9:04PM tampawrx said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 12:10PM Subs said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 12:29PM SisypheanLife said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 12:30PM freaparn said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 12:59PM captplut9465 said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 2:38PM Draugdraugr said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 12:44PM MrPistachio said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 12:47PM Supino said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 2:20PM Odog4ever said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 9:58PM Korbie said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 12:59PM Ramen of Doom said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 1:05PM Integral said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 1:19PM Bentzero said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 2:14PM DokiDokiBawanga said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 10:25PM echerringtonYAHOOCOM said

Posted: Aug 17th 2011 11:09PM This Little Man Says His Name Is said

Posted: Aug 18th 2011 1:38AM bsd107 said

Posted: Aug 31st 2011 1:30PM (Unverified) said

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