The Witcher 3 Delayed Three Months

When talk of a delay comes up, it's traditionally not unusual for the reception to be less than pleasant. Thanks to the ever-present hype train, the thought of an increased wait can become that much more difficult. For this reason alone, it's not surprising that some gamers are frustrated by the news that The Witcher 3 will be facing another delay while others are happy to see a triple-A game putting quality above release date on their priority list.

This news comes following the reveal of a rather impressive trailer at The Video Game Awards. There's no denying that The Witcher 3 is one of the most anticipated titles of 2015, having taken the award of the same name at this week's award festivities, but the reveal of another delay is sure to come as a disappointment for some. Revealed in the form of an open letter from CD Projekt Red, the game will be eschewing its February 24 release date for three more months in the oven and a May 19, 2015 release date.

In the end, it seems as though it is the game's ambitious design and scope that call for more development time. Considering the undertaking of creating a truly living world, this necessity is hardly surprising. It's one thing to create an open world that covers a large amount of ground, but if it does not feel alive, the immersion of the experience will undoubtedly take a hit. The entire open letter can be read below.

Dear Gamers,

Ever since we started working on The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, we knew it would be an ambitious game. We wanted, and still aim, to give you an incredible experience, an epic adventure in a vast, completely open fantasy universe.

The sheer size and complexity of The Witcher, key features of the title, have had a decisive impact on production. Now, nearing the end of our work, we see many details that need to be corrected. When we release the most important game in our studio’s history, we must be absolutely sure that we did everything we could to limit any bugs to a level that will allow you to enjoy the game thoroughly.

With this in mind, we took another look at current workloads and what they mean for the team. Even though everyone is working at full speed, we concluded that we need another 12 weeks, so we are shifting the release date of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt to May 19th, 2015.

We owe you an apology. We set the release date too hastily. It’s a hard lesson, one to take to heart for the future. We know what we want to do to make Wild Hunt one of the best RPGs you will ever play. And we continue to work hard to achieve just that. So, we apologize and ask for your trust.

Thank you for the all support you show us on a daily basis. We truly do appreciate it. It has fueled us in our passion since the start and will continue to do so.

The Board of CD PROJEKT SA

While it is encouraging that CD Projekt Red is willing to admit that the game is in need of some more time to refine the experience, the lack of concrete details regarding a delay this close to release is sure to raise questions with some gamers. Considering the developer's penchant for answering fans' questions and actively supporting their community, this information is likely on its way.

The Witcher 3 Delayed Three Months Burnt Field

If this extra time translates into an experience that matches the promises that have been placed on it, it's hard to be frustrated. 2014 has seen its share of titles that could have benefitted from more development time, so it's encouraging to see a game acknowledge this need.

Despite the fact that February 2015 has become the month of delays, one can hope that the games involved make good use of the time. While too many recent titles have shaken gamers' trust of games at launch, there's still a lot to be excited about in the coming months. It may take a little extra time before The Witcher 3 makes its way to shelves, but if the currently available information is any indication, it will be an experience worth waiting for.

What features of The Witcher 3's open world are you most excited for? Which game will you be using to tide you over until its release?

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The Witcher 3 will be launching on PC, PS4 and Xbox One on May 19, 2015.

Follow Ryan on Twitter @ThatRyanB.