Fallout 4 made The Witcher 3 devs catch "a lot of colds"

Gamereactor recently spoke with José Teixeira, senior technical artist at CD Projekt Red. In our interview we talked about the RPG development process and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt's upcoming expansion, Blood & Wine. We also briefly talked about the "rivalry" between CD Projekt Red and Bethesda, creators of Fallout 4 and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

[HentaiMasterRace]

Both great games that are worthy for GOTY.

[Takwin]

Agreed on the comment. My wife really only plays huge RPGs (Dragon Age Inquisition, Witcher 3, Fallout 4) and commented just yesterday how insanely better the Witcher 3 looks AND how much better the dialogue and story are.

I loaded up the Witcher 3 after playing Fallout for hours that day. I about choked on how gorgeous Witcher is and how bland Fallout is. I have said it many times, but the textures in Fallout are unbelievably terrible. They are the same quality as original Skyrim ones.

[Wescyde]

Yah, they should have def created a new engine for this game. But I still enjoy it better than Witcher personally just my preference of some of the things it does.

Witcher 3 is a great game but I am not happy about how it does certain things

[JustCallMeDaddy]

I think we are missing the point of the article. I believe he is saying that The Witcher 3 devs got a lot of colds, as in, they called in sick a lot to play Fallout 4 instead.

[NewMonday]

the story telling in Witcher is much better and one of the best ever in gaming.

[ULTp0ltergeist]

Witcher 3 does have better graphics and narrative overall, but in my opinion Fallout 4 is a better open-world RPG. The scope of Fallout 4 is just bigger and more immersive. All of it is preference for gamers anyways.

[hemmo1986]

Yeah I prefer fallout 4. The witcher 3 is more sleek and looks good but the story and quests felt repetitive. Kill this beast, kill this beast with a different potion, find jennifer, find ciri or whatever her name was, talk to six different people to get information about where Ciri is, slay another beast.

Fallout 4 isn't as polished but theres jist something about the atmposhere I like. Both great games though and both worthy of game of the year.

[TheMadDutchman]

i will play fallout three times more than witcher , but i still think witcher is goty for getting rid of loading screens

[BallsEye]

I'm a huge Fallout fan, and even bigger fan of Bethesda RPG games but Witcher 3 just set new standards. The graphics, storytelling, world that looks handcrafted...it's just new quality. It's very impressive how you can go into any detailed interior in witcher without loading screens, how you can look at the busy city through the window in a tavern while sipping a beer. In Fallout, you have to wait a long time till location loads, just to leave you feeling disconnected from the world, looking at a window texture instead of the outside world. Witcher did a huge leap.

[Imalwaysright]

@ NewMonday

I won't comment on Fallout 4 story because I have yet to play it but Fallout 3 story ranks as one of the worst in the history of this medium. On the other hand all Witcher games have fantastic stories.

[Bansai]

The story in Fallout 4 at first seems better than 3, but the "endings" are so effin' disappointing :/

[hemmo1986]

I couldn't get into the witchers story. Track down Jennifer, now track down Ciri. Its probably stronger than fallout 4's but I just couldn't get into it.

I find fallout 4 more immersive. Maybe its just the setting, style of gameplay or something.

[KwietStorm_BLM]

I must have played the other Fallout 3.

[Imalwaysright]

@ KwietStorm

I guess you did.

http://imgur.com/gallery/TE...

[RowdyNeil]

It's crazy how we live in a generation where a game that is riddled with bugs and glitches, looks outdated, has an ugly UI, terrible user interface, stiff animations, horrendous AI, etc, can still widely be considered GOTY material.

Like, what the fuck? Where has the sense gone?

[kaizokuspy]

Maybe because it's still fun? You know, the reason gamers game?

[_-EDMIX-_]

Stand back, this dude only plays perfect games...

[Odoylerules000]

I guess you'd have to play it to know.

[abstractel]

I agree, and how come Assassin's Creed Unity, that looked better and had a better story, get absolutely crushed by gamers for its bugs when Fallout 4 has way more?

I still think Unity was a great game that looked fantastic. I have a very hard time playing games that don't have the standard I expect from today's games.

[thricetold]

Bet these same folks bash other games with even a fraction of the flaws of fo4. It's amazing how bias ones opinion sway from game to game.

Crazy a game as average as fo4 is considered goty material. I guess as long as a game lets players walk for miles in any direction they want feeling "immersed" is all they want, but only from this game.

[ps5fanboy]

Agreed , but fallout gets it for me.

[lameguy]

What is this!? Developers (just people) from one studio just enjoying themselves playing something from another studio! This is madness.

Shouldn't one side be coughing up blood lamenting the fact that the other exists!

[Erik7357]

Yea but they are both competing for the title of best developer for rpg's and that's gotta hit Bethesda hard because they have a lot of pride over being hailed as one of the best rpg developers.

It's very awkward at times I'm sure when there studio,cd project red, is trying so hard to make a great game when you have fallout 4 around the corner taking all the respect and attention given to your game right before award shows.

Cd project red is very ambitious and so is Bethesda, both want the title of best developer for rpg and they both know they are competeting against each other for that title.

Nothing wrong with enjoying the title of your competitor in the end though, just might be awkward to start praising it in front of your employees when they want their own hard work to not be forgotten

In the end they all learn from each other and they drive each other to work harder, benefits the gamer for sure!

[JustCallMeDaddy]

That's the issue with the gaming industry thought. The only rivalry there really is is between the owners of the consoles, the fans, meaning us.

Like, if you watch any sports, the rivalry is between the fans 90% of the time. The players even talk to each other while in the game.

They are all friends, except for the true fans... :(

[Erik7357]

No one in this comment section is arguing which one is better....but we do have a dev saying "a lot of colds"...yea theres totally no rivalry. If there wasn't rivalry their games wouldn't be this good.

[IamTylerDurden1]

The boys from CD Red have nothing to lament or be jealous of. Fallout 4 is a very good game, but Witcher 3 is a phenomenal game.

I honestly believe CDPR was surprised by how superior their game was. Bethesda can learn alot from how CDPR forms their stories and quests...and for goodness sake create a NEW engine already. Let's be honest, Fallout 4 is basically running on the Gamebryo engine...the same engine used by Oblivion, Fallout 3, and dare i say Elder Scrolls III Morrowind. I LOVE Fallout, but ppl were right when they criticised the grfx in the trailer...the game is not pretty.

[kaizokuspy]

Those guys are a class act, I hope bethesda feels the same. Both great games, both contenders. Tbh, I think W3 and F4 are equals in their own respects.

[Dabigsiebowski]

I love them both and so far I'm about 80+ hours in on fallout while I was damn near 200 on Witcher 3.

I would tip the scale to the Witcher though. It has a huge beautiful and colorful world which is backed behind better tech. The writing and the character were a lot more interesting from anything I've seen in fallout. The gameplay was really smart and allowed you to go about your liking really, make sure you have oils on blades and potions at hand. All that plus the free DLC and the 10 dollar expansion which gave me 15 hours of new gameplay mechanics and quite an interesting story.

I dunno the world of Witcher 3 just made me feel at home and was something rather special and refreshing I haven't had in years. And sadly that's coming from a guy who never gave the series a chance to begin with.

[kaizokuspy]

I agree with you on a lot of points, but what tips it for me is favoring gunplay over swordplay. Though I admit W3 has better mechanics, fallout just speaks to me for nostalgia sake.

[victorMaje]

For me it's the Witcher 3! That game is incredible, the art direction, the characters, the stories! GOTY no questions asked.

[Bahamut]

Don't worry, that's how most people feel.

[victorMaje]

I forgot the sounds & music! I can't stop playing, I just can't :)

[Nivekki]

'I can't stop playing, I just can't :)'

Well obviously you could because you're on here telling us about it.

[Odoylerules000]

Pretty interesting you can speak for most people.

[Skate-AK]

That's the Falvan flu.

[ColonelHugh]

The article:

We sat down with the Senior Technical Artist at CD Projekt Red for an interview. We won't discuss that, but here's an excerpt tailor picked to bring in the clicks because he wouldn't bring the drama we hoped for.

[kaixxi]

For a ps2 graphics game compared to witcher 3, i dont blame them.

[Stapleface]

Your ps2 was awesome, and more powerful than any gaming pc on the planet at the time. Incredible.

[Xavior_Reigns]

That PS2 was powered by the cloud then? Insane!!

[MegaRay]

That isnt a ps2, you got scammed dude.

[EDKICK]

@kaixxi Wow you're stupid

[iNFAMOUZ1]

thats right play the goty

[Dabigsiebowski]

Quite a naive and snarky comment. If you haven't played the Witcher 3 (which it sounds like you haven't, nor gave a fair shot) then I'd suggest you don't because we all here wouldn't want to be laughing at someone caught with their pants down.

[TRGMatt]

Here's hoping they take some inspiration into The Witcher 4. Not that 3 needed any. But imagine a Witcher game inspired by Fallout concepts. Gimme.

[Ogygian]

witcher 3 is the better game. Fallout 4 suffers from the "Ubisoft effect" of being far too similar to the last title. Except Bethesda has no excuse, as it's been four years.

[thricetold]

Sure they have an excuse, as long as they have a majority of their fanbase who are satisfied with the same ole same.

[razorpakk]

For effort alone, The Witcher 3 deserves it over Fallout 3.5.

Bethesda's time, resources and experience made me wish for more.

[NovaCorps]

there will be no excuses now for bethesda from now on
they have to make a new engine for their next games elder scrolls 6 probably is their next game

if they use again their current engine then i dont expect nothing new and more of the same things from previous titles

[isa_scout]

I loved Fallout 4s world and atmosphere more than The Witchers.However, The Witcher had much better visuals, gameplay,dialogue,engine,depth , and it never overwhelmed the player like Fallout. Fallout 4 may have the worst tutorials I've ever seen. The settlement building was way to complicated without any real depth.Once you figure it out you quickly realize theres really no point. When all is said and done The Witcher 3 wins because it's so ambitious and succeeds in doing almost everything it set out to accomplish. The thing that disappointed me the most about Fallout 4 was that you can't compare weapon and equipment stats before you pick it up. It's 2015, I have no use for an RPG that doesn't allow simple systems for comparing loot.

[ZaWarudo]

A lot of people called in sick on November 10 lol.

And the salt continues it seems. smh.

[sullynathan]

I really don't like faux rivalry created by gamers. It's really irritating to read, if there was some rivalry then these companies wouldn't be so influenced by each other.

Plus CDPR have been making better games than Bethesda for a while now.

[EDKICK]

CDPR had only made 3 games starting in 2007 somehow = "has been making better games than Bethesda for a while now" lol ok Witcher III is the only great game CDPR has made Bethesda has Morrowwind,Oblivion, Fallout 3, Skyrim, and Fallout 4. CDPR is a great studio but they're not at Bethesda's level yet let's check back after 10+ years and 2-3 more games.

[Two-Face]

Are you kidding me? You may not like Witcher and Witcher 2, but they are great games. There is a reason for Witcher 1 & 2 getting good reviews and decent sales. Not to mention a huge fanbase.

[EDKICK]

I didn't say they were bad. Not being great and being bad are far from the same the same thing. Witcher I and II are good games but Witcher III is the only CDPR game on the level of the Bethesda greats imo. Absolutely nothing against CDPR Cyberpunk 2077 is one of my most anticipated games I'm just saying keep letting them prove themselves before we crown them.

[sullynathan]

All post-morrowind Beth games are mediocre.
Witcher 1 is a good rpg, but a mediocre game overall. Witcher 2 is a worse rpg than Witcher 1 but a decent game overall.
Both are still better than oblivion, Fallout 3, Skyrim and Fallout 4.
If Witcher 3 is "great" to you then it is much better than Oblivion, Fallout 3, Skyrim and Fallout 4.

Oblivion is Bethesda's worst TES game, I'm not sure why you would even mention it.

[EDKICK]

@sullynathan Witcher I and II are not better than any post Morrowwind Bethesda game. Your on every Bethesda article bashing them but never say anything but Bethesda is stupid and look at me I'm a more hardcore gamer than you because Bethesda games are too mainstream now

[_-EDMIX-_]

I got to agree. CDPR isn't a bad team and I really like Witcher 1-3, but Witcher 2 and 3 are were they begin to attempt to come close to a team like Bethesda.

Again since it seems if you don't praise CDPR, you hate them mentality on here...

I like both teams, but CDPR clearly needs more work on open world, they've only made one while Bethesda has made several.

I mean...many have to question if your comparing Skyrim to Witcher 3.....are you not in that exact comparison saying Bethesda made a game several years ago that is comparable to another game in a different gen?

Sooooo what happens when they make a current gen Elder Scrolls game?

1 developer made their first open world RPG, riddled with bugs. Its actually STILL riddled with bugs even after the patches.

https://www.youtube.com/wat...

https://www.youtube.com/wat...

https://www.youtube.com/wat...

https://www.youtube.com/wat...

Sooooooo lets not try to make it seem as if this team has some how dethroned anyone. Witcher 3 still has major issues, many of which Bethesda had last gen. Its clear one developer has done the concept longer and is more seasoned in this regard.

Opinions are subjective, many will have them, thats fine, but the matter of fact is CDPR for a FACT have not done that concept longer then Bethesda. Its very, very, extremely likely they followed the concept from the team that has done it the longest at this high level, Bethesda. Even CDPR is saying this as its pretty clear they are still new to this type of development evident by the bugs STILL in the Witcher 3.

Hell evident by teh downgrade of Witcher 3. It was clear the underestimated the processing power needed to REALLY render a world that size with all those calculations.

Fallout 4 looks the same way it did months ago when it was first shown....this isn't Bethesda's first time around the block with this concept.

[EDKICK]

_-EDMIX-_ Exactly what I've been trying to say pretty much all of your comment is completely spot on but like you said if your not praising CDPR with every word you hate them and if your stand up for Fallout 4 your a fanboy. CDPR is a great studio and if Witcher III gets goty over Fallout 4 i won't be mad in the slightest but Witcher III was probably buggier than Fallout 4 something no one talks about with Witcher but trashed Fallout 4 for. I wish CDPR all the success they're a great developer but Bethesda has owned this Open-World RPG game for 10-15years and a few games by the new kids on the block won't change that .... yet.

[sullynathan]

@EDKICK Don't know about you but Bethesda has been mainstream for a decade now. I'm not some of hipster that like them before they were mainstream.

Witcher 1 & 2 are better than the games I mentioned.

[EDKICK]

You may like them more but there not better. The only thing Witcher 1 & 2 does better is story and characters and it better because it's a linear rpg with boring environments, average side-quests,no reason to explore, a horrible map/menu/inventory, terrible combat, and a opening cutscene that is far beyond anything the game achieves in terms of graphics and action. I Don't hate Witcher 1 & 2 but I will tear into to them and their faults,that you seem to overlook, to prove my point. There is a reason why when you look at a list of greatest games of all time you have a great chance to see up to five Bethesda games and one maybe two CDPR games.

[sullynathan]

horrible inventory and menu or ui? what? The Witcher games are PC oriented, they were made with keyboard in mind. You should be complaining about the shitty ui in Bethesda's games.
TW2 UI was made with a controller in mind and it is still more functional than the ones in Bethesda games. TW1 UI blows out every post-morrowind bethsoft game.

Average side quests you say? surely you're not mistaking them with Bethesda's games. CDPR have much better writers than Bethsoft ever did, their side quests are better written in TW1 & 2 and provide much more choice than in any post-morrowind beth game.

I really hope you're not using an opening cinematic as a point of criticism for graphics. It's like me saying that Fallout 4 doesn't look as good as it's cgi trailers. Also, don't even bring up graphics, CDPR have always looked far better than Beths even when they had lesser resources in the past.

The only people that even put up to five Bethesda games on any "best game lists" are people who have barely played any games within the rpg genre.

So from that CDPR has better stories, characters, quests and UI than Beth does. Even at that the combat in TW1 & 2 weren't good but neither was the combat in all the games you mentioned.

[NovaCorps]

glad the witcher series is done for
now finally they can focus on cyberpunk at last

[alexkarkar]

if witcher 3 runs in jerks. the game for coprophags, as i call it, fallout 4, on the other hands, is smooth like a dream. and without that dumb tiny font. it's fallout 4 all the way, baby

[Bansai]

woah...

[moomoo319]

Im actually enjoying the setting and gunplay of fallout more even tho the witcher does look better.

[DeToX420]

I enjoyed both immensely. Witcher 3 has better story and graphics. Fallout 4 world and gameplay are better. I think now they cdr has some experience with open world witcher 4 may blow my mind.

[DivineAssault]

I liked the witcher 3 better than fallout 4.. Last gen they were both equally good

[FoxyGotGame]

Witcher 3 over Fallout 4 for GOTY for me ..although I have both, and they're both excellent, I just feel like W3 was better executed /

[eyeDEVOUR]

Bloodborne is goty anyways so...

[Aghashie]

I haven't played F4 yet. I just can't put down the controller w TW3.

I did played previous Fallout games but they never got into me.

The Witcher is so full of lore and content, so many to explore and do. True some missions are repetitive, but game has so many original content on its own to keep it fresh all the way to the ending credits.

Also... I think developer is serious about their support to their products. Something that makes me feel safer when purchasing their games.

[Maxor]

Fallout 4 is not an impressive game period. The world is too compressed to have an actual open world exploration experience. Instead of exploring a ruined world I feel like I'm walking through a post apocalypse theme park as set pieces are stacked right next to each other. The sense of scale in comparison to the Witcher 3 is sadly pathetic. Towns don't feel like towns and cities don't feel like cities.

[Realms]

Coming in clean from never playing any of the previous iterations of both the witcher and fallout I got to say fallout 4 seems dated. CD project red has move the bar higher and what some people are not taking into consideration is that they are a smaller developer than Bethesda. Moving forward Bethesda does not have an excuse to not improve their games because other developers are setting the bar higher.

[_-EDMIX-_]

https://www.youtube.com/wat...

lol...I'll just leave that there

[Harmonizer]

Both games are great RPG's and open world games. In the end it comes down to differences in theme, setting and narrative focus.

If you like a modern'ish theme with guns and focus on exploration, Fallout is your game.

If you like a fantasy theme with swords, magic and heavy focus on narrative, Witcher is your game.

I'm just happy i get to play both in the same year :)