Sapkowski (author of The Witcher universe) wants ~16 million USD from CD Projekt

Benzychenz · Oct 2, 2018

He got the deal he bargained for. He can regret it after the fact but that's life, sometimes we make bad decisions.

If anything he should be happy the games took off way more than he expected because it surely skyrocketed his book sales and it got him a Netflix deal.

Cabbagehead · Oct 2, 2018

Tyaren said:
How was he greedy back then when he settled for less than his work was actually worth?
I must be so greedy too, as an illustrator and comic author I often, especially at the beginning, had to settle for less than my work was actually worth.

He didn't do that though. He settled for what they hade and refused outright to take stock or a % in the deal. When they offered him out right and did so later on.

Heckler456 · Oct 2, 2018

Extreme Tactician said:
Calling him greedy in of itself is a hyperbole.

Instead of calling it hyperbole, how about you argue against it? He cashed out early instead of being humble and taking a percentage. How is that not greedy? Now he's seeking compensation even though he's been dismissive every step of the way, hasn't actually put in an ounce of sweat into those games, and has already benefited immensely due to success that he himself did not create by way of increased notoriety, books sales, and a television deal. Again, how is this not greedy?

Tyaren said:
How was he greedy back then when he settled for less than his work was actually worth?
I must be so greedy too, as an illustrator and comic author I often, especially at the beginning, had to settle for less compensation than my work was actually worth.

Read below.

Paul said:
"Corporation". When their initial deal was reached, CDP was barely a startup in game dev.
Sapkowski in his own words admits it was his own mistake to sell the rights. They offered him royalties:

"I was stupid enough to sell them rights to the whole bunch," he says. "They offered me a percentage of their profits. I said, 'No, there will be no profit at all - give me all my money right now! The whole amount.' It was stupid. I was stupid enough to leave everything in their hands because I didn't believe in their success. But who could foresee their success? I couldn't."

And he refused.

Deleted member 5535 · Oct 2, 2018

People protecting a multi billionaire company over a single person is hilarious, considering how in general it's the contrary. And just because the author don't like games and talked badly about them, yikes.

Fiery Phoenix · Oct 2, 2018

I think he's always been in some kind of dispute with CDPR. Their relationship has never been perfectly amicable.

Catsygreen · Oct 2, 2018

It seems to me that this case is not new. Last year, Sapkowski had already claimed or at least expressed his dissatisfaction. However, there is little chance that his request will succeed.

gundamkyoukai · Oct 2, 2018

Tyaren said:
How was he greedy back then when he settled for less than his work was actually worth?
I must be so greedy too, as an illustrator and comic author I often, especially at the beginning, had to settle for less compensation than my work was actually worth.

He did not settled he made a choice .
In a way he look down on his own work since he did not think the game would take off.

Extreme Tactician · Oct 2, 2018

Cabbagehead said:
16 million dollars isn't greedy?

The Witcher games have sold 33 million dollars.

That makes around 2 billion in sales, more or less. Wouldn't you feel you need better compensation from something derived from your work?

Cabbagehead · Oct 2, 2018

Nemesis162 said:
Yup

Without him, CD Project would be nothing since they became known with a license title sequel to his books.

This is amazing to read from an actual person typing behind their screens with a straight face.

-JD- · Oct 2, 2018

I wonder what the percentage of gross profits they offered him was. I won't assume what the games market was like in Poland at that time, and the licensing rights might work differently there than, say, here in the States where the common gross profits percentage options for dramatic film license sit somewhere between 2-5%. That said, It doesn't really take a lot of in-depth mathematics to see that Sapkowski could've made well over his upfront asking price if the game sold even marginally well. It wouldn't have been much of a risk for him to take to take the percentage when CDPR offered.

It's difficult to get sales numbers of the first Witcher game from that era removed from momentum from The Witcher 3's success. According to CDPR, the first Witcher shipped 300,000 retail copies by 2008.

Sapkowski really should've renegotiated at that point.

NaDannMaGoGo · Oct 2, 2018

Extreme Tactician said:
The Witcher games have sold 33 million dollars.

That makes around 2 billion in sales, more or less. Wouldn't you feel you need better compensation from something derived from your work?

33 times*

And are you seriously implying they sold 33m copies at around $60...

LordFish · Oct 2, 2018

Extreme Tactician said:
The Witcher games have sold 33 million dollars.

That makes around 2 billion in sales, more or less. Wouldn't you feel you need better compensation from something derived from your work?

Maybe If I had put in the work to promote it over the years instead of repeatedly and publicly downplaying its influence and merit sure.

-girgosz- · Oct 2, 2018

fuck this guy. grumpy old fucker

Ferrs · Oct 2, 2018

Nemesis162 said:
People protecting a multi billionaire company over a single person is hilarious, considering how in general it's the contrary. And just because the author don't like games and talked badly about them, yikes.

Agreed. Pretty sure if the companies/persons involved were others some people would look at this differently.

Deleted member 5535 · Oct 2, 2018

Cabbagehead said:
This is amazing to read from an actual person typing behind their screens with a straight face.

Yeah, like CD project would be something without witcher being created.

Deleted member 25128 · Oct 2, 2018

Sedef122 said:
Too many people here acting like "he dun goofed, fuck him!" Yeah we get it, you rate the games over the books and that's cute and all but he deserves more than he got. Why do any of you seem to want to shit on him for at least trying to get more? He created the world and the characters and CD Projekt made their name on his IP and they can afford it.

And yet most of us "Gamers" wouldnt even have heard of him if it wasn't for the game. You cant have your cake and eat it.

gundamkyoukai · Oct 2, 2018

Extreme Tactician said:
The Witcher games have sold 33 million dollars.

That makes around 2 billion in sales, more or less. Wouldn't you feel you need better compensation from something derived from your work?

You really can't do that since no way all those copies sold at 60 dollars .

Donos · Oct 2, 2018

Paul said:
"Corporation". When their initial deal was reached, CDP was barely a startup in game dev.
Sapkowski in his own words admits it was his own mistake to sell the rights. They offered him royalties:

"I was stupid enough to sell them rights to the whole bunch," he says. "They offered me a percentage of their profits. I said, 'No, there will be no profit at all - give me all my money right now! The whole amount.' It was stupid. I was stupid enough to leave everything in their hands because I didn't believe in their success. But who could foresee their success? I couldn't."

And he refused.

Tyaren · Oct 2, 2018

Cabbagehead said:
He didn't do that though. He settled for what they hade and refused outright to take stock or a % in the deal. When they offered him out right and did so later on.

Heckler456 said:
I
Read below.

gundamkyoukai said:
He did not settled he made a choice .
In a way he look down on his own work since he did not think the game would take off.

And what exactly was "greedy" about that?

VG Aficionado · Oct 2, 2018

I know nothing about the games, but I suppose he wasn't an active part in the writing of the games themselves beyond the rights, is that correct? A deal is a deal.

Anyway, considering the success and that they intend to make another Witcher game in the future, they could be nice and pay him some big money upfront in exchange of a leading writing role. Win-win for everyone.

Cabbagehead · Oct 2, 2018

Nemesis162 said:
Yeah, like CD project would be something without witcher being created.

Well I guess fuck their talent then.

UsoEwin · Oct 2, 2018

Tyaren said:
How was he greedy back then when he settled for less than his work was actually worth?
I must be so greedy too, as an illustrator and comic author I often, especially at the beginning, had to settle for less compensation than my work was actually worth.

Your ego seems larger than your worth

Extreme Tactician · Oct 2, 2018

NaDannMaGoGo said:
33 times*

And are you seriously implying they sold 33m copies at around $60...

LordFish said:
Maybe If I had put in the work to promote it over the years instead of repeatedly and publicly downplaying its influence and merit sure.

gundamkyoukai said:
You really can do that since no way all those copies sold at 60 dollars .

Even if more than half was sold at 10 dollars, that's still 600 million dollars.

And what I meant was 33 million sales.

DryCreek · Oct 2, 2018

Cokesouls · Oct 2, 2018

Sapkowski wrote a polish classic, but CD made the franchise what it is known for worldwide.

Deleted member 5535 · Oct 2, 2018

Cabbagehead said:
Well I guess fuck their talent then.

Of course the staff had and have talent. What I'm talking is that Witcher was essential to their growing as a company and that happened because the books existed

mrfusticle · Oct 2, 2018

Prine said:
Doesnt have George Lucas head for business I see.

Even given the recent under-performing movies I think Lucas got shorted too.

Mr Eric · Oct 2, 2018

d9b said:
Without CDPR nobody outside of Poland would give two shits about his books. He should be sending them flowers with 'thank you' note attached instead. What a colossal prick.

this... Without the game, Witcher books would certainly give him 1% of what he earns now with it. That's a win/win situation and I'm pretty sure that CDPR will use that as a perfectly reasonnable defense.

Pokemon Master Tim · Oct 2, 2018

Weird that he didn't say this when The Witcher 2 came out, or back in 2015 as soon as The Witcher 3 came out. No, sorry, it's your fault.

Heckler456 · Oct 2, 2018

Tyaren said:
And what exactly was "greedy" about that?

What exactly was greedy about taking a 9500 dollar payout instead of a percentage deal? Are you kidding me? The game had to sell like 20.000 copies maximum for that figure to be completely eclipsed.

FantasticMrFoxdie · Oct 2, 2018

Cabbagehead said:
If I made my own bed. I sleep in it, the same with getting offered apple or Facebook or Google percentage and taking the lump sum an not stock. Even though folks told me to ask for the stock.

yeah no

this isn't a job with stock options...this is a person's IP. A person's IP that, yes at the help of a game company, spawned a multimillion/billion dollar franchise. If you created the idea of facebook or wrote the google algorithm then that seems like an apt comparison.

Arguments are moot at this point atleast. He's going to get some money from this.

Extreme Tactician · Oct 2, 2018

Cabbagehead said:
Well I guess fuck their talent then.

Nobody said that.

Seriously, what gives with some of the people here?

UsoEwin said:
Your ego seems larger than your worth

What the hell? What prompted this response?

Cabbagehead · Oct 2, 2018

Hodgy said:
dude deserves to get paid for creating the characters and world that we are all very fond of today. dude had no idea the games would get big looking at CDPR when they were making the first game.

pay artists their fair share.

He deserves, whatever CD offers and that's it.

gundamkyoukai · Oct 2, 2018

Tyaren said:
And what exactly was "greedy" about that?

Well i don't think he greedy but i also don't think he deserved more .
Still who got better lawyers will say who is right or a pay out lol.

Extreme Tactician · Oct 2, 2018

Heckler456 said:
What exactly was greedy about taking a 9500 dollar payout instead of a percentage deal? Are you kidding me? The game had to sell like 20.000 copies maximum for that figure to be completely eclipsed.

Maybe because CDPR was an unproven studio at the time? It's just good business sense.

Tyaren · Oct 2, 2018

UsoEwin said:
Your ego seems larger than your worth

Excuse me?

VAD · Oct 2, 2018

Richardi said:
Why would you root for a typical case of "I dun goofed"

I like when the little guy wins.

Zhukov · Oct 2, 2018

Usually I'd say it would be nice of CDPR to share some of the profits, even if they weren't legally obligated to, just as a gesture of goodwill.

However, Sapowski is kind of a dick. This is just him sniffing around for more money because the rights he sold away for relative peanuts went on to make big bucks.

So fuck him. It's not like he's penniless. If he was, I'd say to give him a payout, but he's doing fine. Hell, I bet the success of the games has done wonders for his book sales, not to mention that upcoming TV show.

Deleted member 17676 · Oct 2, 2018

I don't see how people are going on about people defending cd project red because they a video game company and he deserves more money.

Let's put it this way. If I sold shares in a company I owned which later goes on to be successful, I can't just later on sue the people who bought my shares. It's not their fault I didn't believe the company was going to be successful.

It's the same case here. He didn't believe the game would be a success and has admitted it. He had a whole host of options. Could have told them it's for just one game only. They apparently offered him percentage of profits, but he was greedy at the time.

It's entirely his fault. His arrogance and hatred of games cost him.

ElBoxy · Oct 2, 2018

Cabbagehead said:
Well I guess fuck their talent then.

No one is arguing they don't have talent.

Cabbagehead · Oct 2, 2018

Extreme Tactician said:
Nobody said that.

Seriously, what gives with some of the people here?

What the hell? Ehat promptrd this response?

Are you blind or something? The poster is literally imply that CD would be nothing without Witcher in of itself. Even though their the reason it was a functioning production, product and game to even become a thing in the first place. It's all them. Not any one else.

ElBoxyBrown said:
No one is arguing they don't have talent.

Did you not read what the poster posted?

noyram23 · Oct 2, 2018

If I were CDP i'll just give the guy money and leave the Witcher universe alone. I honestly don't sympathize with Sapowski with this one, he didn't believe in CDP and didn't care much about it general. BUT it's still his work, even though he probably gained more from the game advertising his work outside of Poland. 16m though? Not sure about that, both party will probably settle for a lot less.

Heckler456 · Oct 2, 2018

Extreme Tactician said:
Maybe because CDPR was an unproven studio at the time? It's just good business sense.

I mean fuck, what do you even say to a comment like this? You think it's good business sense to sell out your IP in perpetuity to a company for a fixed amount of money? Absolutely insane.

Harlequin · Oct 2, 2018

Extreme Tactician said:
If you knew anything about Andrezj, you'd know he's a sarcastic person. And if you knew anything about The Witcher, you'd also know that the last part is true in Europe.

In Poland maybe. Europe as a whole? Not so much. Certainly not Western Europe.

principal · Oct 2, 2018

he will get paid

it will be less than 16 million, but he will get a cheque

next time hopefully he has better contract lawyers

BlacJack · Oct 2, 2018

duckroll said:
If I lucked out and made a really good licensing deal for a franchise I really admired and wanted to adapt it to something else, and if it then became really successful and the original creator later regretted lowballing the original deal, I would have no problems giving him more money to share the success even if he isn't entitled to it. But that's just me.

That's a naive you, that has no idea how far that money might take the company, or even better yet, if he came out 10 years later and asked for 16 million and it would cause you to be unable to pay employees after you expanded and started a new project without compromising or firing some people. It's not as black and white as "oh hey! here is 16 million!" An unexpected 16 million cost can be pretty devastating unless you're like, MS or Apple.

Sure it's the feel good thing to do from an outsider's perspective.

RestEerie · Oct 2, 2018

Though obviously he should be paid more as he's the guy that invented the world of the witcher and everything

BUT

He okayed a bad deal himself....nobody forced him on that original deal.....so as much as it sucks to be him, he did reap what he sows..

Cabbagehead · Oct 2, 2018

VAD said:
I like when the little guy wins.

He's a self made little guy...a person who with all their mental functions. Decided to refuse royalties and take lump sum cash. But now with everything blowing up and him getting a Netflix deal, he wants more.

NaDannMaGoGo · Oct 2, 2018

Maybe they should pay him $16m

Then he pays them back $16m for excellent book advertisements.

Zhukov · Oct 2, 2018

VAD said:
I like when the little guy wins.

The little guys did win.

A tiny company approached a successful author and made a deal for IP rights. They got the deal for a relatively small sum of money because the author assumed they would fail. They succeeded and now they're so huge that the successful author is trying to scrounge money out of them.

This is what the little guy winning looks like.

Sapkowski (author of The Witcher universe) wants ~16 million USD from CD Projekt

One Winged Slayer

User requested account closure

User requested account closure

user requested account closure

Character Artist

One Winged Slayer

User requested account closure

Character Artist

Attempted to circumvent ban with alt account