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General discussionThe Witcher author Andrzej Sapkowski demands more than $16M in royalties(128 posts)(128 posts)
(128 posts)
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This is my favourite topic
Posted October 03, 2018
Articles:

polygon
destructoid
comicbook.com
eurogamer

Videos:

ReviewTechUSA
YongYea

***Note: Sorry if this has been posted, I looked and didn't see anything.
Post edited October 03, 2018 by djdarko
Posted October 03, 2018
high rated
While I wouldn't put it besides CD Projekt to pull some scummy moves, from what I'm reading they seem to be in the right here. Even the author himself seems to be aware of that:

“I was stupid enough to sell them rights to the whole bunch,” Sapkowski said at the time. “They offered me a percentage of their profits. I said, ‘No, there will be no profit at all — give me all my money right now! The whole amount.’ It was stupid. I was stupid enough to leave everything in their hands because I didn’t believe in their success. But who could foresee their success? I couldn’t.”
Yeah, so you made a dumb choice and now you're suing the people who turned your stories into a worldwide success for quick cash. That's low, man. Really, really low. If anything, he should be thankful to CD Projekt. I'm pretty sure his Witcher books sell considerably more since the games came out. I'm all for rooting for the underdog, but this guy comes across as a bit of a douche.
Posted October 03, 2018
low rated
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fronzelneekburm: While I wouldn't put it besides CD Projekt to pull some scummy moves, from what I'm reading they seem to be in the right here.
For once, read the whole thing.

CDPR has caved already and immediately, knowing full well the precarious legal position they have put themselves into. They'll talk for a bit, lawyer-to-lawyer, sort this out, and eventually the owner of the creative work will go home a few million dollar richer. Not 16 million, but yeah. A solid share instead of the insult.

CDPR must have known this was coming, they must have planned for the circumstance. Now plans become action. This will not go to court.
Post edited October 03, 2018 by Vainamoinen
Posted October 03, 2018
high rated
He's been ranting about this shit for years which is funnily enough his own mistake and only asked for the quick cash because" he didn't think" it was going to take off and be profitable enough and he keeps blaming CD Projekt for everything under the sun even though it was by own desicion.

He might be a good author but every time i hear him open his mouth post Witcher games i get more and more convinced he's one egotistical asshole.
Posted October 03, 2018
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ChrisGamer300: He's been ranting about this shit for years which is funnily enough his own mistake and only asked for the quick cash because" he didn't think" it was going to take off and be profitable enough and he keeps blaming CD Projekt for everything under the sun even though it was by own desicion.

He might be a good author but every time i hear him open his mouth post Witcher games i get more and more convinced he's one egotistical asshole.
He is indeed an arrogant prick who believes his novels made the games popular, when outside Poland almost no one even knew there were novels before first game came out.
Posted October 03, 2018
The thing I got from this news is the impression that a very well informed lawyer found Sapkowski with this brilliant idea of how to get more money from the games and the writer is getting all the credit for his perceived greed, specially since he has been very vocal about his bad decision.

But it's just an impression.
Posted October 03, 2018
What a spineless, greedy piece of shit.
Meh, whatever, he gets jack squat beside the negative publicity.
Posted October 03, 2018
The best part:
"We are willing to end this matter in an amicable and, most importantly, fast and quiet way".
The quiet part doesn't seem to be going that well :-P.

I'm really not surprised. Sapkowski has been bitter about games' popularity for several years now. As much as I enjoyed his books as a teen I have to say that outside of his work he unfortunately is a very unlikeable person.

That being said - without seeing the documents it's hard to say who really is in the right here. While the case for first game is quite clear, it's not so obvious when it comes to sequels and spin-offs - supposedly the agreement only covered one game.
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Falci: The thing I got from this news is the impression that a very well informed lawyer found Sapkowski with this brilliant idea of how to get more money from the games and the writer is getting all the credit for his perceived greed, specially since he has been very vocal about his bad decision.

But it's just an impression.
Having read quite a few interviews with and stories about Sapkowski I would say that your impression is incorrect.
Post edited October 03, 2018 by Paradoks
Posted October 03, 2018
If he succeeds, all power to him. He may be a dick, but he could end up being a very rich dick.
Posted October 03, 2018
I respect the author for the books he wrote, but he has to be responsible for his bad decision. Although I may also do something similar if I have the opportunity to become even richer.
Post edited October 03, 2018 by Sjuan
Posted October 03, 2018
isn't this old news? i remember reading something similar a few years back. has this come back again?
Posted October 03, 2018
Why do none of the linked articles actually talk about the lawsuit but inststead reference year old interviews....

https://www.cdprojekt.com/en/investors/regulatory-announcements/current-report-no-15-2018/

Maybe link to the press release from cd project about it maybe?
Posted October 03, 2018
Why is CDPR open to negotiation? Originally I thought the author's claim would be baseless, as they said. But their statement about being open to negotiation means they are willing to pay him off. If his claim was really baseless, then they wouldn't be willing to pay him off.

IMO it's a shame that they are caving and intending to pay him off. I think he should get $0 more, as he already accepted the original deal by his own free choice.
Post edited October 03, 2018 by Ancient-Red-Dragon
Posted October 03, 2018
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timmy010: isn't this old news? i remember reading something similar a few years back. has this come back again?
No. This is a new thing. As I stated, Sapkowski has been complaining about the games (and simultaneously diplomatically praising them in some interviews), but he never asked about additional royalties.
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satoru: Why do none of the linked articles actually talk about the lawsuit but inststead reference year old interviews....

https://www.cdprojekt.com/en/investors/regulatory-announcements/current-report-no-15-2018/

Maybe link to the press release from cd project about it maybe?
The Polygon (of all places...) article in the OP has all the relevant information, including CDP's response.
Post edited October 03, 2018 by Paradoks
Posted October 03, 2018
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timmy010: isn't this old news? i remember reading something similar a few years back. has this come back again?
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Paradoks: No. This is a new thing. As I stated, Sapkowski has been complaining about the games (and simultaneously diplomatically praising them in some interviews), but he never asked about additional royalties.
i suppose not but he has mentioned "owed" money before
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Community
General discussionThe Witcher author Andrzej Sapkowski demands more than $16M in royalties(128 posts)(128 posts)
(128 posts)