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The Witcher 3 Patch Saga: Proof You Should Wait To Buy?

Patch 1.07 is another huge step in the right direction.

Yeah, it'll probably show up when the game is around two months old, which begs the question:

Should we be waiting to buy these massive, ridiculously ambitious open-world games?

I mean, none of them seem to be even close to right when they first launch. Even the great Grand Theft Auto V – which, don't forget, took Rockstar a long time to produce – had all sorts of problems upon launch; the multiplayer was basically unplayable. Last year's Assassin's Creed Unity had some issues as well and of course, The Witcher 3 was one giant mess for many when it first released. It was just comically bad at times.

And it's not just about stability, either. Updates and patches add a host of improvements as well; for instance, the new patch from CD Projekt Red will deliver player stashes, an optional movement response for Geralt, improved horse controls, a ton of positive inventory alterations (like Alchemy and Crafting supplies no longer count toward overall weight), and more performance enhancements. These are the kinds of updates that have a significant, if not profound, impact on the overall experience.

Many games tend to go through these growing pains and unsurprisingly, almost all of them are open-world adventures. The question is, does all of this prove that we should wait before buying on day one? To me, it kinda does. What The Witcher 3 is now is definitely not what it was six weeks ago, that's for damn sure. And really, in the bigger scheme of things, what's a couple of months? Why not just wait?

Related Game(s): The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

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frostface
frostface
8 years ago

So there's two schools of thought on this. The first is if the game is unstable in any way, instead of ruining the gaming experience for the consumer and risking losing sales and any good will you may have garnered if we're talking about an established franchise (Assassins Creed Unity) , or risk your new project appearing to be mediocre ( Watchdogs) (sorry Ubisoft), then you should absolutely hold off on releasing your game. A story doing the rounds lately that's a prime example of how not to release a game that's buggy is the Batman Arkham Knight PC release. Rock Steady and WB knew that game was not stable months ago but chose to release it anyway alongside the more stable console version. In the end they had to pull the game from stores and customers got refunds until the game gets a new PC release date. That's a lot of bad publicity that the game could have avoided, because from what I hear it's a badass game… on console.

The second school of thought is more akin to CD Projekt Red and this latest update that most likely benefited from feedback once people got the game and the change of how the inventory is handled. Now they did release a glitchy(ish) game, so see school of thought #1, but gameplay experience improvements requested by the gamers does more for goodwill as it shows that the consumer is being listened too.


Last edited by frostface on 7/7/2015 1:38:30 AM

Vivi_Gamer
Vivi_Gamer
8 years ago

I'd say the bigger issue is DLC Editions, which are released 5 months down the line. Batman Arkham Night already hints at the season pass being 6 months worth, so after that there will be a DLC Edition, so I am waiting for that. Same with anything Bethesda release, just look at their PS3 catalog and you'll see what I mean. I won't be buying Fallout 4 until 2016.

It's infuriating and tedious, but I'm tired of feeling conned over buying bare bones editions of games. I've been used to waiting for games from Japan taking up to a year to release from previous generations of gaming so its not something I cannot do.

dillonthebunny
dillonthebunny
8 years ago

Here are the fixes…

A new, alternative (optional) movement response mode for Geralt.
A player stash for storing items, available in various locations throughout the game. Stash locations are marked on the player’s map.
Crafting and alchemy components no longer add to the overall inventory weight.
Books are now placed in a dedicated tab in the Inventory and books that have already been read are properly grayed out.
Multiple sorting options are now available in the Inventory.Alchemy formulas and crafting diagrams can be “pinned”, meaning all components and ingredients required to make them will be conveniently marked in the Shop panel.
Dozens of fixes for quest related issues, both major and minor.
A few performance enhancements, including the optimization of FX, scenes and general gameplay.
Various improvements to horse behavior.

TrueAssassin86x
TrueAssassin86x
8 years ago

This is why i always wait for Game of the Year or komplete 😉 editions of these kinda of games with the All the DLC on the disc. My wait list includes.

The Witcher 3
The New Dragon Age game.
Project Cars
Mortal Kombat X

startazz
startazz
8 years ago

Yet you still by games on day one? like MGSV,what was your quote for that title,Sweet cant wait day 1 for sure,smh.

jdt1981
jdt1981
8 years ago

If Nobody bought games on release nowadays who would play-test these games? LOL

Axe99
Axe99
8 years ago

I'm definitely a big fan of the school of waiting. Only exceptions I make are for games that are relatively niche (so won't get huge sales) and I'm a big fan of – but even then, I'll often buy at release to support the devs, but wait until the game's stable to actually play it. Particularly for 'once-through' type games like The Witcher 3 or Assassin's Creed: Unity, it'd be a right shame having that playthrough affected by early in release bugs.

JackC8
JackC8
8 years ago

There's virtually no incentive for developers / publishers to care if a game is playable at launch. Look at that Halo Master Chief collection – six months after release the developer said "We’ve been sort of scrambling to get it first in a playable stage and now we’re going to get it in a polished stage, so that people are getting what they deserved in the first place." Yet this unplayable game got a Metacritic score of 85 with 36 reviewers giving it a score of 90 or above – and three even giving it a perfect 100. At launch.

It's just one big joke.

Rachet_JC_FTW
Rachet_JC_FTW
8 years ago

doesn't surprise me thesd days i've learned that should wait a couple weeks even a month or two cos so many games these days come out broken and the witcher was another victim of the current situation

happy gaming

jdt1981
jdt1981
5 years ago

If Nobody bought games on release nowadays who would play-test these games? LOL

Axe99
Axe99
5 years ago

I&#39m definitely a big fan of the school of waiting. Only exceptions I make are for games that are relatively niche (so won&#39t get huge sales) and I&#39m a big fan of – but even then, I&#39ll often buy at release to support the devs, but wait until the game&#39s stable to actually play it. Particularly for &#39once-through&#39 type games like The Witcher 3 or Assassin&#39s Creed: Unity, it&#39d be a right shame having that playthrough affected by early in release bugs.

JackC8
JackC8
5 years ago

There&#39s virtually no incentive for developers / publishers to care if a game is playable at launch. Look at that Halo Master Chief collection – six months after release the developer said "Weâ&#128&#153ve been sort of scrambling to get it first in a playable stage and now weâ&#128&#153re going to get it in a polished stage, so that people are getting what they deserved in the first place." Yet this unplayable game got a Metacritic score of 85 with 36 reviewers giving it a score of 90 or above – and three even giving it a perfect 100. At launch.

It&#39s just one big joke.

Rachet_JC_FTW
Rachet_JC_FTW
5 years ago

doesn&#39t surprise me thesd days i&#39ve learned that should wait a couple weeks even a month or two cos so many games these days come out broken and the witcher was another victim of the current situation

happy gaming

TrueAssassin86x
TrueAssassin86x
5 years ago

This is why i always wait for Game of the Year or komplete 😉 editions of these kinda of games with the All the DLC on the disc. My wait list includes.

The Witcher 3
The New Dragon Age game.
Project Cars
Mortal Kombat X

startazz
startazz
5 years ago

Yet you still by games on day one? like MGSV,what was your quote for that title,Sweet cant wait day 1 for sure,smh.

dillonthebunny
dillonthebunny
5 years ago

Here are the fixes…

A new, alternative (optional) movement response mode for Geralt.
A player stash for storing items, available in various locations throughout the game. Stash locations are marked on the playerâ&#128&#153s map.
Crafting and alchemy components no longer add to the overall inventory weight.
Books are now placed in a dedicated tab in the Inventory and books that have already been read are properly grayed out.
Multiple sorting options are now available in the Inventory.Alchemy formulas and crafting diagrams can be â&#128&#156pinnedâ&#128&#157, meaning all components and ingredients required to make them will be conveniently marked in the Shop panel.
Dozens of fixes for quest related issues, both major and minor.
A few performance enhancements, including the optimization of FX, scenes and general gameplay.
Various improvements to horse behavior.

frostface
frostface
5 years ago

So there&#39s two schools of thought on this. The first is if the game is unstable in any way, instead of ruining the gaming experience for the consumer and risking losing sales and any good will you may have garnered if we&#39re talking about an established franchise (Assassins Creed Unity) , or risk your new project appearing to be mediocre ( Watchdogs) (sorry Ubisoft), then you should absolutely hold off on releasing your game. A story doing the rounds lately that&#39s a prime example of how not to release a game that&#39s buggy is the Batman Arkham Knight PC release. Rock Steady and WB knew that game was not stable months ago but chose to release it anyway alongside the more stable console version. In the end they had to pull the game from stores and customers got refunds until the game gets a new PC release date. That&#39s a lot of bad publicity that the game could have avoided, because from what I hear it&#39s a badass game… on console.

The second school of thought is more akin to CD Projekt Red and this latest update that most likely benefited from feedback once people got the game and the change of how the inventory is handled. Now they did release a glitchy(ish) game, so see school of thought #1, but gameplay experience improvements requested by the gamers does more for goodwill as it shows that the consumer is being listened too.

Last edited by frostface on 7/7/2015 1:38:30 AM

Vivi_Gamer
Vivi_Gamer
5 years ago

I&#39d say the bigger issue is DLC Editions, which are released 5 months down the line. Batman Arkham Night already hints at the season pass being 6 months worth, so after that there will be a DLC Edition, so I am waiting for that. Same with anything Bethesda release, just look at their PS3 catalog and you&#39ll see what I mean. I won&#39t be buying Fallout 4 until 2016.

It&#39s infuriating and tedious, but I&#39m tired of feeling conned over buying bare bones editions of games. I&#39ve been used to waiting for games from Japan taking up to a year to release from previous generations of gaming so its not something I cannot do.

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