Witcher author demands $16 million dollars from CD Projekt Red

Beerus · Oct 2, 2018

BIG OOF but seriously author dug his own grave

Kioku · Oct 2, 2018

Sucks to be him. All they'll need to do is prove the flat rate deal happened and this is done.

Foxi4 · Oct 2, 2018

Sapkowski is a rude snob. He sold the rights to *video game adaptations* (focus on plural) because he didn't, and still doesn't believe in the medium. He was convinced the video games will bomb and only now demands an extra share. In fact, he's well-known for his disparaging comments regarding gamers, he "doesn't know or care" about the story in the games and won't find out because he "associates with intelligent people". Screw him, he has no leg to stand on. He only wrote a new installment of the series *because* the games were successful (an installment that sucks the big one I might add), just a few years back he maintained that "Geralt is dead and the story is over". Instead of embracing the universum and capitalising on it he chooses to fight it, so he gets nothing. This is an old feud, legally he can't do anything to harm the good guys at CDP who gave the franchise a new lease of life which, until 5 minutes ago, Sapkowski called "a bunch of stink" that "depreciated the value of his books" because "publishers thought it was a video game adaptation, and those get smaller rates". Yeah, because everyone is stupid except for Mr.Sapkowski.

HaloEliteLegend · Oct 2, 2018

Axido said:
I for one wouldn't mind such a law, since being a creator is a real gamble for most in the field. Why not at least ensure a proper financial compensation for those that get lucky? That being said the hate on someone who added a crucial aspect to a franchise that has become one of the most famous in the world is as unproportional as that guy's payment.

Nah, he is a pretty shitty human being in general. He is constantly rude to his fans at conventions, denigrating them and overall being extremely ungrateful for their support. He has a drinking problem and will sometimes just show up to places drunk and inconsiderate. He makes fun of gamers and gaming as a whole and is an ass to nearly everyone. He's also shown nothing but contempt for CD Project Red, despite them being the sole reason his books have continued to sell well and the reason he's earned a fat contract writing for the new Witcher Netflix show. I'd say the hate against him is well earned, even if he's a talented writer.

tbb043 · Oct 2, 2018

he sounds like a "doosh" as the kiddies would say

Subtle Demise · Oct 2, 2018

Tony_93 said:
In the USA he would be SoL, but this is another country and if the law there states that people can still get more money after deemed underpaid he might have something to bite. I hope he doesn't get a penny, this is GREED at it's finest form.

Veho said:
The contract becomes invalid if it breaches a current law that existed at the time of signing. If the contract doesn't cover for legal contingencies (as is the case here) then they must have a shitty lawyer.

Now it makes more sense for this to come out of the woodwork so suddenly. CDPR are working on a solution to satisfy both parties though, so you have to give them that.

kuwanger · Oct 2, 2018

SG854 said:
True, it’s sort of a gamble. What’s the better choice?

An upfront flat fee with a promise of a percentage that counts against the upfront flat fee.

Deleted User · Oct 2, 2018

The author is also mad salty that CDPR changed the story up.

One of the bigger change ups is Ciri. In the books Ciri is a helpless girl who people want to make babies with so that their offspring can become the most powerful being. That's the real reason why those frost guys are after her, it's to create offspring. There's lots more but it's w/e you can google it if you're actually curious.

kingfrost · Oct 2, 2018

If he has the legal right to request more money despite the agreement made then I fail to see why he's being attacked here. Most people here regularly defend large corporations when they take actions to protect their income flow, so I can't help but find the reaction hypocritical at best.

It doesn't matter how he treats his fans. It doesn't matter how good or bad you think he is. I've heard horrible things about how CDPR are and aren't they the ones who were mistreating their workers and not paying them properly?

It seems to me that there is nothing wrong with him practicing his legal rights.

Deleted User · Oct 2, 2018

To be fair, you need to have a very high IQ to learn from your mistakes and move on.

Tom Bombadildo · Oct 2, 2018

Chary said:
He dug his own grave. He made the mistake to not believe in his IP. Without CD Projekt’s games, his books wouldn’t be half as popular. This is literally biting the hand that feeds you.

TBF, if you saw the original Witcher game designs, you would've been like "lol fuck royalties give me cash", too

But yeah, he should've gone about this way differently. As a few others pointed out, he is technically legally entitled to request the additional payments, he didn't have to go and start making demands and getting all greedy. I'd imagine if he just went amicably to CDPR, they probably would've been fine with cutting him a check.

Pluupy · Oct 2, 2018

I bet he was at a pub and heard about the law from some dude and is only now pursuing this to pocket some more cash.

splatty · Oct 2, 2018

Everything I read about this guy makes me like him less and less. He's done nothing but bash the games in interviews, and now he wants them to pay him $16 mil... What goes around comes around.

DarthDub · Oct 2, 2018

I hope they find an agreement together.

grey72 · Oct 2, 2018

Was this guy was snoozing for 10+ years? And out of nowhere starts demanding money? What a drama queen

FAST6191 · Oct 3, 2018

I don't know that I have seen anything like this in games before.

Any number of session musicians and photographers over the years I have seen things from but games is new.

I am not sure what to think about this Polish law that allows for such things either. Allowing for such a switch up on what should be a fairly fundamental aspect of contract law does not seem cool. Bets on we see some variation on Hollywood accounting should this become common (licenced to a development house for the production, fees charged, millions sold, ultimately still a loss).

the_randomizer · Oct 3, 2018

The author sounds like an opportunistic prick to me.

Lazyboss · Oct 3, 2018

His story is all about contracts and yet he fails on real life contracts. :rofl2:

TesseractStorm · Oct 3, 2018

The IP may be worth a lot right now, but it was worth far less when the contracts and flat payment were drafted, and almost all of the added value comes from CDPR's work and promotion.

ZoneBlaze · Oct 3, 2018

Be a man and bear the consequences of your actions.

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