The Witcher and its sequel “will continue to be accessible and optimized for modern gamers,” as both are part of GOG's new Preservation Program, which developer CD Projekt Red hopes will allow Geralt's story to “live forever.”
In a post announcing the two games' inclusion in the Preservation Program, which currently includes 102 games, CD Projekt Red says that The Witcher and The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings “represent the roots of our journey” and “with the care and attention from our friends at the GOG team, will continue to captivate new generations of Witcher fans.”
The developer continues: “Joining this initiative ensures that these iconic adventures remain accessible and optimized for modern players, standing the test of time as part of video game history. Here's to preserving the history of the White Wolf and bringing it to life! forever!”.
The Witcher and The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings are officially part of the GOG Preservation Program! These titles represent the roots of our journey, they laid the foundation for everything that followed. Now, with the care and attention of our friends at @GOGcom… pic.twitter.com/t2st26N5PCNovember 23, 2024
GOGO launched its Preservation Program earlier this monthwhich consists of a growing collection of “classic games that GOG has improved, with the commitment of our own resources to ensure their compatibility with modern systems and make them as fun as possible.” in a news publication Explaining the initiative, the showcase explains that it will subject games joining the program to “extensive quality testing and often apply custom improvements to ensure compatibility and quality of life improvements.” Users can expect the games to “work on current and future popular PC setups” and generally be “the best and most complete” version they can find with extras like manuals, additional content, DLC, “and even missing features.” in other editions”. “.
Beyond that, the initiative also keeps one of GOG's best offerings intact: offline installers that can be safely saved on your PC and can't be suddenly deleted from your device. GOG prides itself on being free of digital rights management (DRM), although it's worth noting that, like other stores like Steam, it ultimately also sells licenses for digital games. However, he clarified this point previously, noting that “no matter what happens, whether it's licensing issues, store closures, or even a zombie apocalypse that shuts down your internet, You'll still be able to play them thanks to our offline installers.”
Regardless, in a world where more and more games are being removed from digital storefronts and becoming increasingly inaccessible, game preservation is more important than ever, and GOG's efforts to help in this regard are very welcome. . Witcher remake aside, the first two Witcher games aren't going anywhere anytime soon.
The Witcher 4 is the “most advanced” game CD Projekt is working on right now, ahead of Cyberpunk 2 and The Witcher remake.