Andrzej Sapkowski, known for writing the series of novels that would be adapted into the video game franchise of The Witcher, is threatening developer CD Projekt Red with legal action. Sapowski demands about $16.1 million in royalty fees for the success of The Witcher intellectual property. The demand stems from a Polish law that states if a creator isn’t given a proportionate amount of money for their creation, then they’re due to claim more in a settlement. CD Projekt Red opposes Sapkowski’s demands, claiming that they paid a flat fee when originally securing the rights to make a series of video games. Originally, the company approached the author with plans to offer a percentage of profits from sales, but Sapkowski believed that the games would be unsuccessful, so he took an initial one time payment instead. CD Projekt Red has until October 9th to come to a conclusion on the matter, or else they’ll face legal troubles.

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[eriol33]

This guy made a bad decision. I am sure he will lose. I am on the side of CDprojekt.

 

[yoyoyo69]

It's a shame he's been consumed by greed. Whilst I've yet to play a Witcher game, I gave a lot if respect for the devs. As mentioned, he made a bad decision (also partially influenced by greed) yet STILL made alot of money thanks to the boost in popularity due ENTIRELY to the quality and hard work of these devs.

For shame

 

[Hatchetball]

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.

Selling the rights for the game adaptation so low, yeah I'd agree that was foolish. $9,500 for the rights LOL After 2 failed movie/TV show deals, he thought the game would fail.
His books were massively popular way before Witcher 1 (2007) the game was even made, so I cannot agree that the books wouldn't be half as popular as his work on those books made him a world famous author 11 years before the game was made, but I do think it helped him sell more books to the West. He is an amazing author and the books are all really good. He should have asked for royalties a long time ago.

 

[DarthDub]

The future is now, old man!

 

[Deleted User]

Selling the rights for the game adaptation so low, yeah I'd agree that was foolish. $9,500 for the rights LOL After 2 failed movie/TV show deals, he thought the game would fail.
His books were massively popular way before Witcher 1 (2007) the game was even made, so I cannot agree that the books wouldn't be half as popular as his work on those books made him a world famous author 11 years before the game was made, but I do think it helped him sell more books to the West. He is an amazing author and the books are all really good. He should have asked for royalties a long time ago.

There was also a failed video game deal in the 90s.

 

[Hatchetball]

There was also a failed video game deal in the 90s.

He didn't believe in his own work because of adaptation failures, so he sold the rights cheaply. That's his own fault lol RIP

 

[raxadian]

when will artist and authors learn to never sell their shit for flat rates, always license with tiers

Hollywood accounting is a good reason to get a flat rate when it comes to a movie. Not so much for anything else.

I mean the guy also made the mistake of just not requiring different deals for every book adapted. That way if they wanted to include more canon material after the first book, they would have to make a new contract for the next book in the series and so on.