this post was submitted on 01 Nov 2025
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Television
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Was the Witcher not an original IP when it got picked up? This seems like a lazy answer.
No, there were books, then there were games. The games changed some stuff (probably, didn't read the books didn't play the games didn't watch the show), the show changed more from the games.
The books were an original idea, but there were a few of them before it got notable enough. Point is the showrunners aren't pitching original ideas that immediately shoot to popularity, original shows need time to build up to know if it's good but networks and publishers can pull the plug anytime they decide it's not fast enough. You don't strike gold on the first 3 episodes.
The main change in the games is it's set after the assumed death of Geralt in the books. So it's new stuff after the books. The popularity of the games made Sapkowski write more books that are different from what happens in the games.
Good for the guy. Wikipedia says it started as short stories in a magazine starting 1986, became books in 1994, games in 2007. So it did take a while, work, and layers of recognition from the magazine readers to the Netflix execs. Showrunners just say skip all that.
Let’s simplify:
Writer X has an idea for a fantasy show
Can’t get it sold
Writer X slaps Witcher lore on their own script loosely
Script is sold because now it’s a known property, the industry likes that
Now the writers follow the “official” plot for a while and steer towards their own ideas more and more because that’s what they wanted to do originally.
That seems to describe a few shows that let me down.
I'm not trying to defend Witcher. I was just curious on your thoughts. I have heard the writers didn't care that much for the original content, but I don't know any details.
There are way too many shows with well known IP that follow this exact formula 😕
Usually when nobody from the original IP cares enough to get involved or they aren’t allowed to