Metro 2033 Author: The Witcher Author Is Totally Wrong, The Games Made The Series Popular

Metro 2033's author Glukhovsky called The Witcher's writer Sapkowski arrogant for his denial of the popularity the games made by CDPR to his books, stating that without them the series would never have been this popular.

[HotMess]

We all should read more.

[IamTylerDurden1]

Glukhovsky is correct, the games absolutely made the written work more popular. Side note, Metro 2033 is fantastic and I'm hyped for 2034. If u haven't played the Metro games buy Metro Redux now. 2033 > Last Light.

[Patriot4Life]

The Metro games are good but suffered the same thing the Killzone games suffered...character attachments or importance.

All characters feel generic and you really don't care what happens to them.

[BioShockGX]

2034 is the new book? If so, then i hope it also get turned to a game.

[Eonjay]

This is completely wrong. The Witcher author was upset that he sold the right to CDPR. He even said he has nothing against the game and lets be clear: in hindsight, it was a mistake. Obviously. These blogs....

[roadkillers]

I read the message boards. Really no time for it. Tried "The Stand", got to chapter 7 (Fantastic so far), but the time is not there. I'm not killing a hobby that I enjoy more for a hobby that I enjoy less.

[KaiPow]

It's fascinating how going to a new form of media can just explode with popularity. I never would have known about the Witcher books if it weren't for the game, likewise with A Song of Fire and Ice with the TV series.

[_-EDMIX-_]

Agreed.

[Bathyj]

Exactly. Theres probably kids out there saying wow, they wrote a book of The Lord of the Rings movies?

[franwex]

I actually knew of song of ice and fire before HBO came along. I met George R R Martin and he signed my book too. Lol.

But for The Witcher, I knew it was based on something, just didn't know it was a fantasy series. Then again it's a Polish series, and I'm in America. Maybe the series was popular in Poland already, for sure not popular world wide. That's because of the games.

[Geraltowski]

It was already popular in Europe , but the games definitely made it more popular around the world

[ccgr]

Are the book s better than the game? Is that even possible?

[Alexious]

No, they aren't. He's not nearly as good as a writer as Martin for example, but he did create an interesting universe which was brought to light by CD Projekt RED.

[_-EDMIX-_]

I don't know. I can't say.

You'd have to read the series yourself I guess.

[l3w1s]

Yes, a lot better, actually. The only Witcher game with good writing was the first one.

[_-EDMIX-_]

I mean, I thought so.

I just didn't like the writing in 2 or 3. I LOVED the first game though.

[Scatpants]

I feel like the newest one has the best writing of any open world game.

[IamTylerDurden1]

Witcher games > the books. Certainly worth a read though.

[Lynx0207]

They are much much better. I've never read better fantasy novel, and I've read almost every major author. The Witcher saga is smart, fast, written in brilliant language and full of references to literature (from medieval to present times). After reading Sapkowski, I find Martin's novels very infantile. The games are little more generic, W3 is amazing game, sure, but it is nowhere near the level of novels.

[_-EDMIX-_]

if you say so. You read the books so lol

What would you recommend starting with? I've always wanted to read the books.

[Movefasta1993]

Edmix read the sword of destiny first,it will show you how ciri and geralt first met up,it's my second fav book in the series.They are all very good,and some amazing like the sword of destiny.IMO they are better than the games,but that's me.

[Lynx0207]

@_-EDMIX-_
You need to read it in order, "Blood of Elves" is the first novel of the saga. Before the saga there are two collections of short stories and they are the only proper point to start ("Sword of Destiny" comes first). If you are advanced reader, you may find it a little repetitious and not so brilliant - the saga is Sapkowski's opus magnum, but that's just my taste (I have master degree in Polish literature), so if you didn't like short stories, "Blood of Elves" is still worth a shot.
Just keep in mind that Sapkowski loves to play with culture and language, so it is much more complex (both story- and language-wise) then "A Song of Ice and Fire" for example (don't get me wrong Song is epic novel with many plotlines but they are told very straightforwardly). Unfortunately, I don't know what is the level of english translation ;(

[nowitzki2004]

I havent read them.. for books i have read the books were always better than the movie versions or game versions. I read Godfather before i ever watched the movies and couldnt even watch the movies because of how much better the books were.

[Movefasta1993]

i had no idea that the god father had a book version of it,i loved the movies,i got to read it now!

[Lynx0207]

First movie is amazing, but to fully appreciate it, you need to forget about the novel. Too much was cut out from the story and some characters (Luca Brasi for example) aren't even close to their novel origin. Imo it is worth watching just for Brando.

[Bathyj]

Only book Ive read twice. Great read. But you really should see the movies, they are celebrated for a reason. Dont let one spoil your enjoyment of the other.

[AspiringProGenji]

They are better than the games. The games don't stick to the source material 100%. For example, Yennefer is Gerald's only love in the books, while in the games you can choose between her and Triss.

[RabbitFly]

the games are set after the books though.

[Gwynbleidd]

Yes! If you are a fantasy fan read them. I started reading the books after the first game. Awesome stuff, my alltime-favourite fantasy novels!

[CrimzonRazor]

Yes they are much better

[Cybermario]

while it was truly stupid to sell the rights, he is wrong, the games made the books a thing, before the games i had no idea the books existed at all.

[IamTylerDurden1]

The games made the books a bigger thing*

[Aloren]

If the books weren't already "a thing", the games wouldn't exist.

[Cybermario]

did not word that properly but you get the idea of what i tried to say

[RabbitFly]

true to some extent. They were never translated to English until the games. So for most people that don't know polish, they didn't exist.

[Scatpants]

Well, they were a thing in Poland not so sure about anywhere else.

[Relientk77]

Didn't even know there were books until someone told me last year. Witcher 3 Wild Hunt is an absolute masterpiece though

[Patriot4Life]

Same here.

I am surprised no one has picked up the movie rights...can see the Witcher being as huge as Lord of The Rings if picked up by someone as talented as Peter Jackson.

Even if NetFlix picked up the right for a series, I can see it being as successful as Gamer of Thrones.

[Scatpants]

I'd like to see a Cinemax series in a similar vein to Spartacus. Ultraviolence, gore, overt sex scenes and nudity.

[Bathyj]

Didnt Cinemax make Banshee? God I love that show.

[MilkMan]

Yeah, that goes without saying.

[yeahright2]

The guy just has a chip on his shoulder because he guessed wrong when selling the rights. He just wanted a quick pay day and didn't think the games would amount to anything. Now he sees how much money he could have made and is jaded AF.

[Pintheshadows]

He is basically doing a Harrison Ford.

[annoyedgamer]

Thats right. Metro 2033 the game introduced me to the books.

[InTheZoneAC]

I don't read books so this game definitely made me aware of this series. And I doubt a book could even do better than this game anyway, no matter who writes it.

[_-EDMIX-_]

I read often and never heard of the books before Witcher 1.

[Lon3wolf]

Copy from above:

I could be wrong but I thought the books only got translated to English/other languages after the first Witcher game came out.

[Lon3wolf]

Might do, there was a film made before the game (2001)
http://www.imdb.com/title/t...

[Lon3wolf]

I could be wrong but I thought the books only got translated to English/other languages after the first Witcher game came out.

[_-EDMIX-_]

From what I've looked up online, it was the same year as Witcher 1's PC release.

2007 Witcher 1 on PC and the first English translation of the books released.

Might explain why most never heard of the series. (Might)

[medman]

I smell bitter old man fear. And regret. Sad.

[gazgriff2k12]

he just regrets the decision he made. not happy with his baby becoming a internation sucess because hes not getting the profit. move on nothing to see here

[Fist4achin]

He's super pissed bc the games are making money hand over fist, while the book sales are just doing well. I believe he had the initial notion that it wasn't going to take off like it did and now it's​ selling like hotcakes.

[Greyfoxdbz]

Books are great and i love to read. However a medium like gaming has much more potential to create an unforgettable story. With books all you have are the words and your imagination. With games you have facial expressions, music, aesthetics, voices, challenges, choices and much more. The author might be thinking that because it reached further success in the hands of game developers, that he could have reached it himself. If he hadn't sold it, it would not be as successful as it is now. And this in no way detracts from what the author has accomplished. they are just different mediums.

[Lynx0207]

I've read The Witcher saga many years before the game and it was already very famous among fantasy fans and academic community (I was studying polish philology). But there is no doubt that games made Sapkowski more famous among people don't connected with polish culture and complete non-readers.
Sapkowski is old fashioned guy that doesn't like video games, that's all.

[RedPill86]

Neither of which would exist without the blatant plagiarism of Elric. Something people conveniently ignore and try to refute despite entire plot points being damn new word for word. The Witcher owes its success to Michael Moorcock.

[ZHZ90]

Witcher was a book?!

[Patriot4Life]

I just started reading Witcher: Sword of Destiny and man am I hooked.

Someone needs to turn the books into a series or movie.

[Lon3wolf]

There is one Witcher movie (one full length a couple of shorts too):

http://www.imdb.com/title/t...

[Movefasta1993]

sword of destiny is one of the best books in the series by far.

[Geraltowski]

Yeah, don't watch the film. It's just so bad...

[TheColbertinator]

Witcher and Metro grew in popularity from the games. Now gamers buy the books too so everyone wins all around unless you're petty.

[Krysis]

The author is salty because he was offered a percentage of sales over a lifetime or a lump sum. Let's just say had he made the right decision he would be a very rich man

[TheColbertinator]

Instant gratification and seller's remorse

[ShadowWolf712]

The author's gripe isn't about the money, he's said as much many times.

Have you ever even read what he said, or just read headlines and assumed?

[Krysis]

@shadowwolf I have read a personal interview with him where he said he was stupid for taking the lump sum and not the percentage. So before you are a condescending jerk, know your stuff

[PhoenixUp]

Some people don't even know the books exist

[GamePeace]

The ammount of stupidity and degenration that comes from the gaming community in the last years, makes me want to quit this hobby and read more often ...

[Gwynbleidd]

I stumbled across the books after the first game. In Poland they have been very popular long before the games, in Germany I think they became somewhat famous after the 1st game as the translation of the novels started afterwards. Only the shortstories and the 1st book of the novels were available before. I really enjoyed the books and they are my favourite fantasy novel!
So I would say, outside of Poland the games were great promotion for the books and I guess it raised awareness for them outside of Poland.

[DEAGLETURK]

i am big fan, Glukhovsky books and games amazing i played it on xbox 360,ps3 and now redux on my ps4 best game ever i played its 2 games with dlcin in 1 box and cheap price amazing graphics details sounds stroys everything perfekt i want more games and books like this.This serie deserve more populartiy

[ShadowWolf712]

...except that was never the author's claim?

His beef with the games is that people don't take him seriously as an original author because they assume he's writing licensed books based on the games, or that people expect them to be like the games and then get upset with him when they're not.

[Donnie81]

I really enjoyed the metro books, this guy is really talented

[DarthSocio]

He's right

[opinionated]

Lol burned by his own brethren. Suck it dingleberry.

[IIFloodyII]

Metro guy is unquestionably right, The Witcher books wouldn't be anywhere near as popular outside of Poland if not for CDProjekt Red. They'd still be massive in Poland, but that's about it.

Sidenote the Metro books and games are excellent and the current gen remasters are some of the best, excellent PC version too.

[TWB]

What a cool guy, and he's certainly right. I havent read a book in 7 years or so, and I bought myself the Metro 2033 book. I can enjoy a book because I can get into them really well, but Im just piss poor at starting reading things.

Ashamed to admit that I havent opened that Metro book yet, but I will when the moment is right, and Im sure I'll enjoy it.

[QUIMICOMORTAL]

And he is correct!