CD projekt red and witcher 3 logos

It's been almost three years to the day since CD Projekt RED released the highly anticipated fantasy RPG sequel The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings on PC, which means that we're feeling more than ready for the next chapter in Geralt of Rivia's story. Following delays, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is now set for release in February 2015.

CD Projekt RED has developed something of a reputation for going against the AAA grain, the most significant example of this being the developer's decision to do away with DRM entirely for The Witcher 3. This was met with appreciation by gamers, many of whom feel that DRM unfairly punishes paying customers and often means that pirates are able to play superior, unfettered version of games. Last summer, game director Konrad Tomaszkiewicz won further favor by announcing that CD Projekt RED will not charge consumers extra money for DLC.

In the spirit of standing out from the crowd, CD Projekt RED has now unveiled a new company logo alongside the official visual identification for The Witcher 3. CD Projekt RED's new spirit animal is a mythical bird called the Rarog, and Head of Studio Adam Badowski has explained that the design is meant to represent the company's attitude when it comes to making games.

"We are rebels and rebels are free. Just like birds. The Northern Cardinal, or REDbird, is what we see ourselves in the industry: intrepid, bold and confident; flying high and aiming even higher. The color, cardinal RED, is something that connects it with another bird, a mythological creature close to our cultural roots and heritage–the Rarog, a small firebird believed to bring luck to people. RED stands for energy, the inner fire that drives us; it represents something very close to everyone here in the studio–the creativity and passion we harness from within ourselves to make the best RPGs in the world."

That's pretty inspirational stuff. Check out the new visual identification for CD Projekt RED and The Witcher 3 below.

CD Projekt red logo
The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt Logo

Since the arrival of the Xbox One and PS4, gamers have been eager for titles that truly show off what the new console generation is capable of. The Witcher games have always had beautiful graphics and the early gameplay footage and screenshots from The Witcher 3 promise more to come. The game will be based around a final showdown that's long been foreshadowed: between Geralt and Eredin, the leader of the deadly supernatural force known as the Wild Hunt. The symbol in The Witcher 3's logo is meant to represent Eredin's helm, and CD Projekt RED has also released new details about Geralt's adversaries and their origins.

"The Wild Hunt has always been thought to presage war, great plagues and death. Their origin unknown, these ghastly riders instilled fear in the hearts of men and are believed to be able to steal people’s spirits that would later join the cavalcade. They come at night, in the winter and their appearance is always preceded by the aurora borealis.

"In The Witcher 3, the Wild Hunt are not mere bosses at the end of a corridor. They’re part of the lore, part of the system of folk beliefs, they’re both something that children say stories about to scare each other and an entity that can wipe out entire villages in one night. The Wild Hunt is essential to the whole Witcher universe and in The Witcher 3 it will finally take center stage.

"The ones who command the Hunt remain a mystery even bigger than the Hunt itself. Their number and purpose are shrouded with mystery, their cold steel however is not–many have witnessed the Hunt’s atrocities, almost none survived to tell the tale."

That "almost" wouldn't be necessary if it wasn't for that pesky Geralt, the only warrior known to have survived the Wild Hunt so far. The Witcher 3 is set to be the last chapter in Geralt's story - will his luck hold out long enough for him to survive another meeting with the King of the Wild Hunt?

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is targeting a February 2015 release for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.