Every single new game is released alongside a day one patch – and it typically gets the entire internet into a diminutive rage; a mere ragelet. The same happens with the announcement of DLC, Some developers seem to get a free pass on both – and one of those is CD Projekt Red. Like everything else, The Witcher 3 will have a day one patch.
The day one patch was confirmed by Miles Tost, Level Designer at CD Projekt Red.
@DavidMo92898701 We have one, but not because we need it, but because we want it to be the best it can be when it reaches your hands.
— Miles Tost (@MilezZx) May 4, 2015
According to Tost though, the patch isn’t really necessary, and just tweaks a few things up. He asserts that the game, as it is at launch, will be just fine.
@Laughing__Man_ @DavidMo92898701 Couple of minor additional tweaks, nothing too grand. Game is done and good to play as is. 🙂
— Miles Tost (@MilezZx) May 5, 2015
Hopefully it’s not too big. I don’t think I’ve been quite so excited for a single game in years, and I’m rather hopeful that it lives up to my rather loft expectations. We’ll be able to find out next week. Unlike many other high profile releases, the review embargo drops a full week before the game’s release date, giving you ample time to cancel pre-orders – or, more likely, make them.
In somewhat related news, CD Projekt has confirmed that physical, retail PC copies of the game will come with a free, extra digital key for the game for you to use a digital backup. Here’s their FAQ on the matter:
Q: Do I need Internet access to install the retail PC version of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt?
A: The initial, pre-premiere retail PC batch of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt needs to download a file from our servers to allow play. This file will either be downloaded automatically during installation process or you can choose to download it manually from a dedicated website. Since we have no DRM in the game, this is a security measure we needed to incorporate so the game doesn’t leak during the production process. No worries, the file will not be big. Copies of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt produced after launch will not contain this security feature.Q: Will there be any sort of serial number provided in the retail PC box?
A: The game does not require any serial code to install or play. However, each retail PC copy of Wild Hunt will contain an additional GOG.com game code for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. See below for details.Q: What is the GOG.com game code found in the box used for?
The game code grants you access to a digital backup copy of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt on GOG.com. You will also receive full software support, i.e. future updates, as well as all the additional content like the 16 Free DLCs, the FLAC & MP3 soundtrack, comics, wallpapers, art book, all voice over packs and more.Q: Can I install and play the game without the GOG.com game code?
A: Yes you can install and play the game without the game code.Q: Will I be able to install updates and the free DLCs without using the GOG.com game code?
We decided to offer software support, DLCs, and extra goodies only to gamers who confirm their purchase with the provided game code on GOG.com. This is the only way for us to differentiate between you, honest gamers who bought our game, and pirates who snatched it from the Internet.Q: Do I need to become a GOG.com user to play the game I just bought?
A: You can install and play the game without becoming a GOG.com user.
And I think it’s stuff like this that gets them that free pass.
Last Updated: May 5, 2015
Captain JJ Fantasticus
May 5, 2015 at 11:05
I don’t mind day one patches. As long as it’s not too big and the game actually works like it should.
WitWolfy
May 5, 2015 at 11:37
With my luck on PS4 its gonna be something like 4GB… AT LEAST!
Captain JJ Fantasticus
May 5, 2015 at 11:40
I don’t think CDPR would do that. Or I hope not.
Corrie
May 5, 2015 at 11:06
Hmmm So since I do have a digital version already on my GOG account and am purchasing a retail copy means I get to skip a step which is good.
Admiral Chief
May 5, 2015 at 11:10
In related news, Ryanza, if you are reading this, your account is now active again.
Skoobaz
May 5, 2015 at 11:15
Lifted the ban hammer?
Admiral Chief
May 5, 2015 at 11:15
Aye
Admiral Chief
May 5, 2015 at 11:11
So, when can I start downloading my GoG copy?
Captain JJ Fantasticus
May 5, 2015 at 11:44
When master says so.
Blood Emperor Trevor
May 5, 2015 at 11:48
What? I wasn’t listening.
Captain JJ Fantasticus
May 5, 2015 at 11:58
😀
Jonah Cash
May 5, 2015 at 14:36
That is my question too, but then again do you want it downloaded and installed and not be able to play for 2 weeks? I don’t know which scenario is worst!
Admiral Chief
May 5, 2015 at 15:33
I’ll gladly wait, heck, I’ve waiting this long already
Matthew Holliday
May 5, 2015 at 11:11
i love these “not really, but yes.” answers.
why so ambiguous?
heavy emphasis on GOG, is it safe to assume that anything GOG related also applies to steam? or would i still need to go through silly GOG? which Ive never used befor.
Blood Emperor Trevor
May 5, 2015 at 11:48
I don’t think that’s a safe assumption to make.
Matthew Holliday
May 5, 2015 at 11:55
being penalised for using DRM?
NOOOOOOO
Blood Emperor Trevor
May 5, 2015 at 11:57
Well, CDPR & GOG are related. Wouldn’t really make sense to give all the GOG extras to Steam users too.
Matthew Holliday
May 5, 2015 at 14:38
pretty sure steam will give the updates.
the 25$ expansion is also available through steam, so should i expect the 16 free DLC packs to go through that aswell?
ordered the game through retail, so im just trying to figure out if putting it on steam will make it easier to manage than downloading updates and DLC etc manually.
Blood Emperor Trevor
May 5, 2015 at 14:49
Oh that, sure. I was talking about all the extras you get on GOG when you buy games – sound tracks, art works, stuff like that.
Blood Emperor Trevor
May 5, 2015 at 14:51
Also they’ve just released the alpha for their Galaxy client. So in the future updating and whatnot should be fairly painless, just like Steam.
Ykv
May 5, 2015 at 14:29
GOG is hardly silly. I doubt the people who bought it on steam will receive a GOG key. Enoy your DRM. With my GOG key I can install w3 on myself my wife and my dog’s PC if I like.
Matthew Holliday
May 5, 2015 at 14:38
called it silly because its just another platform i have to use.
pretty sure the steam guys will get a GOG key aswell via email, has happened with other games, but my question was more along the lines of “do they need to go through GOG or can they get the DLC etc through steam?”
the expansion pack is available through steam, so again, is it safe to assume that the 16 free DLC packs would come through steam aswell.?
Ykv
May 5, 2015 at 14:41
Ah, no i dont think you will have to use gog at all then. GOG does not work like steam in that you have to be connected to it to play the games. You download drm free client and patches manually. AFAIK there is a client in development.
Matthew Holliday
May 5, 2015 at 14:44
id prefer a client to having to do things manually tbh.
will bring back my nightmares of having to install 4 CoD4 patches in a specific order everytime i formatted.
Greylingad
May 5, 2015 at 11:12
A few tweaks – that’s how patches should be handled, not buying a retail copy of Mortal Wombats eggs and then finding that you have to download 30+ Gigatons of data….
Hammersteyn
May 5, 2015 at 11:12
This, I like this. I hope this games sells a 100 billion(that’s billion with a B) copies just so that CD Projekt Red can open more studios and make more games.
Admiral Chief
May 5, 2015 at 11:13
^This
Ir0nseraph
May 5, 2015 at 11:15
Thanks to this game’s massive size , a few online co op games that needs attention and a small backlog , I am set for a few weeks of good gaming.
Ranting Raptor
May 5, 2015 at 11:16
This
Lord Chaos
May 5, 2015 at 11:23
Well then, just over 7 Bil people currently. To get to 100 I guess we’ll need to get busy…
Ir0nseraph
May 5, 2015 at 11:24
XD
Hammersteyn
May 5, 2015 at 11:24
I offer myself as tribute!
SargonTheBatpandaOfTI5
May 5, 2015 at 11:30
“Busy”
😀
Lord Chaos
May 5, 2015 at 11:31
It’s an assembly-line.
Matthew Holliday
May 5, 2015 at 14:41
http://darrenwcarter.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Famous-characters-Troll-face-Challenge-accepted-140949.jpg
Loftus
May 5, 2015 at 11:23
He speaks the TRUTH !
Rock789
May 5, 2015 at 11:43
You have my vote, with awesomeness like that!
David
May 5, 2015 at 11:19
Q: Can I install and play the game without the GOG.com game code?
A: Yes you can install and play the game without the game code.
Wait, does this mean you can give the GOG.com code to a friend? What a deal. 😛
Hammersteyn
May 5, 2015 at 11:20
That’s the thing. Zero DRM… I think they’re banking on gamers to do the right thing. Hopefully people will.
Loftus
May 5, 2015 at 11:23
Faith in Humanity restored time!
Futureman
May 5, 2015 at 11:28
But we all know gamers, ofcourse they wont and thats the sad truth
Hammersteyn
May 5, 2015 at 11:28
I’m probably naive. But I’m hoping against hope that this doesn’t happen
HairyEwok
May 5, 2015 at 12:01
We’ll see soon enough with sale reports.
David
May 5, 2015 at 16:30
I really like CD Projekt – respect. I’m getting this on console though, so doesn’t apply to me.
Hammersteyn
May 5, 2015 at 16:44
Same here
Matthew Holliday
May 5, 2015 at 11:21
or you can keep the code for yourself and give your friend the disk.
like everyone does with consoles.
Hammersteyn
May 5, 2015 at 11:23
Too bad all my friends aren’t in the same town as me O_o but I see your point
Admiral Chief
May 5, 2015 at 11:25
We are friends?
Hammersteyn
May 5, 2015 at 11:25
No
Admiral Chief
May 5, 2015 at 11:26
No to being friends or no to moving to George?
Lord Chaos
May 5, 2015 at 11:26
Both?
Admiral Chief
May 5, 2015 at 11:27
Now you’ve done it, he is going to post the both gif, I just know it!
Hammersteyn
May 5, 2015 at 11:36
http://media.giphy.com/media/jb6IOwMXZjLuE/giphy.gif
Hammersteyn
May 5, 2015 at 11:28
No to being friends. You’re master race and I’m a draadsitter it will never work 🙁
Loftus
May 5, 2015 at 11:29
draadsitter klink dodgey…veral as mens die woord trek by die mix in gooi!
Hammersteyn
May 5, 2015 at 11:30
lol, I play on PC and console. It confuses the hell out of people. How is such a thing even possible?
Lord Chaos
May 5, 2015 at 11:30
Same here.
Loftus
May 5, 2015 at 11:32
Pc and Console ? such a swinger you are, open relationship and all! 😉
Matthew Holliday
May 5, 2015 at 11:54
i played on both, then ps3 took an arrow to the knee.
Blood Emperor Trevor
May 5, 2015 at 11:55
You use your hands for the kb&m & your feet for the controller? Wait… did you mean at the same time? O_o
Corrie
May 5, 2015 at 11:58
Hybrid?
Ir0nseraph
May 5, 2015 at 11:30
Equal opportunist sounds better.
Hammersteyn
May 5, 2015 at 11:30
Using his own words.
Loftus
May 5, 2015 at 11:26
Let’s all move down to George!
Hammersteyn
May 5, 2015 at 11:26
Traffic here is an old women that’s confused by one of three circles in town
Loftus
May 5, 2015 at 11:28
House Party @ Hammersteyn house! Everyone is invited! Bring your friends and their friends, even your crazy granmother is invited!
Hammersteyn
May 5, 2015 at 11:29
XD
Ykv
May 5, 2015 at 14:54
Just keep in mind that the updates will be rolled out via gog…
SargonTheBatpandaOfTI5
May 5, 2015 at 11:27
Wait. So what I’m hearing is that pirates won’t even need to board this ship to get the booty?
Hammersteyn
May 5, 2015 at 11:29
Wont even need a shovel to dig, it’s right there for the taking…….
SargonTheBatpandaOfTI5
May 5, 2015 at 11:30
It makes me want to buy the game even more. Just because they’re putting it out there. Like “we don’t even give a shit about you nasty foul mouthed sea dogs!”
Hammersteyn
May 5, 2015 at 11:32
Exactly. The trust they’ve shown is unheard of for a AAA title
Ir0nseraph
May 5, 2015 at 11:33
trust*
Hammersteyn
May 5, 2015 at 11:34
Already fixed
*Waves hand
**You saw nothing
***Flies away
SargonTheBatpandaOfTI5
May 5, 2015 at 11:35
Smoke and mirrors. Smoke and mirrors. Don’t look too close. WHERE IS THE BIRDIE?! KA-KAW. KA-KAW. *takes your money
Admiral Chief
May 5, 2015 at 11:37
TOOKIE TOOKIE
SargonTheBatpandaOfTI5
May 5, 2015 at 11:42
O.O
HOW YOU SEE?!
*runs
Ir0nseraph
May 5, 2015 at 11:36
The evidence only disappears once I press F5.
Hammersteyn
May 5, 2015 at 11:38
Should’ve taken a screenshot.
Lord Chaos
May 5, 2015 at 11:39
Like this?
Hammersteyn
May 5, 2015 at 11:45
I have nothing to teach you
Ir0nseraph
May 5, 2015 at 11:40
O you don’t know me very well do you, off course I have a screenshot 🙂
Corrie
May 5, 2015 at 11:56
*Stands there inquisitive wondering what happened 21 minutes ago
* *Goes back to playing GTA V
SargonTheBatpandaOfTI5
May 5, 2015 at 11:34
Well he *could* mean rust, as in the game is showing a level of trust that was prevalent in the 90’s and early 00’s. Thus the game has the “rust effect”®. 😀
SargonTheBatpandaOfTI5
May 5, 2015 at 11:33
It’s character like this that I appreciate. Where you trust your product and you trust your fans.
heavyHand
May 5, 2015 at 11:37
Lets just hope the patch isn’t as big as GTA V day 1 patch. I’m 2 dam keen for this game!!! MAD HYPE
Blood Emperor Trevor
May 5, 2015 at 11:44
I don’t think CDPR get a free pass, I think people are more willing to give them the benefit of the doubt because they’re reasonable & generally do the right thing for the customer, & don’t try nickle & diming you. It’s a well-earned good will. I also think they know that & do their damnedest not to mess that up because it would cost them a lot of money.
Rock789
May 5, 2015 at 11:47
Agreed – it ain’t a free pass. It’s just that they don’t bullsh$t us. They’re generally open and honest about everything, and we (I for 1) appreciate that.
Having said that, if the Day 1 patch is 5 or 6GB, then we know it’s alot more than ‘little tweaks’. But I don’t think that’ll happen coz that’s not how they operate.
Rock789
May 5, 2015 at 11:45
So psyched for this game!! I honestly cannot wait to get my hands on it… SUPER keen!
Pariah
May 5, 2015 at 11:46
So, I can buy the game and gift a copy to a friend?
Corrie
May 5, 2015 at 11:54
Not exactly since the QnA states that you kinda need that key in order to get the updates/DLC so in a sense it’s a DRM
Q: Will I be able to install updates and the free DLCs without using the GOG.com game code?
We decided to offer software support, DLCs, and extra goodies only to
gamers who confirm their purchase with the provided game code on
GOG.com. This is the only way for us to differentiate between you,
honest gamers who bought our game, and pirates who snatched it from the
Internet
Hence no registered key on GOG means no DLC/Support etc, plus if you lose a disc or two you have a backup
Pariah
May 5, 2015 at 11:59
I’ve honestly never lost a disc in all my 20+ years of gaming. I have a huge box of old game boxes in my garage at the moment. All there.
Lord Chaos
May 5, 2015 at 12:02
I have “lost” a disk. Was for CoD
Pariah
May 5, 2015 at 12:03
I’ve used one or 2 as coasters. Once made a make-shift frisbee from one. But never lost a disc. 😛
SargonTheBatpandaOfTI5
May 5, 2015 at 11:59
Me Me Me Me Me! 😛
Pariah
May 5, 2015 at 12:00
I’m not buying it, lol. I have literally 0 interest in The Witcher. I just came to troll the day one patch thing, and ended up asking a legit question. Who’d have thought?
Hendrik
May 5, 2015 at 12:04
Mmmm, it does not matter how you package it, the PC version can’t be played without the Innernet. In my books, that is DRM.
Weanerdog
May 5, 2015 at 13:43
Only launch copies need internet access, so you will have to wait but it can be done.
“Copies of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt produced after launch will not contain this security feature.”
Wyzak
May 7, 2015 at 09:41
But you can’t download patches without the activation code, and it has a day one patch, so that means it’s not really as DRM-free as they repeatedly punted.
Aizen Sosuke
May 18, 2015 at 17:15
So what the hell is it with this file you have to download? Will it only be unlocked on the 19th or is it availlable earlier?