The Witcher writer Andrzej Sapkowski has given followers a launch window for the extremely anticipated subsequent ebook within the sequence, alongside a potential tease of its story.
As reported by IGN Poland, Sapkowski stated throughout Comedian Con Vienna that the following ebook, which at the moment lacks a title, will arrive worldwide in early 2025 following a debut in its native Poland in late 2024.
Identified for his dry and sarcastic humour, Sapkowski additionally shared a quick tease as to what the story may contain. “[Netflix] made a sequence primarily based on one brief story. They compelled me to proceed,” he stated. “I am not complaining. Due to this, I now manage to pay for for the lease.”
Sapkowski saying Netflix is making a sequence primarily based on one brief story is not fairly correct, however the streaming service did simply announce the animated movie Sirens of the Deep earlier in November 2023, which is predicated on a single brief story. Season 1 of the Netflix present can be primarily based on a group of The Witcher brief tales written by Sapkowski, whereas Season 2’s opening episode is predicated on the A Grain of Reality brief story.
Whereas it’s miles from confirmed, the likeliest candidate is Sirens of the Deep, which already appears to be like to incorporate content material not from the brief story it is primarily based on, A Little Sacrifice. It is subsequently potential Sapkowski is writing a follow-up or extension of that story, which options Geralt of Rivia, his finest buddy Dandelion, and a rival bard known as Essi Daven.
Heartbroken from his first break-up with Yennefer, Geralt travels The Continent with Dandelion earlier than the pair come throughout Essi. The three then mediate a lover’s quarrel between a prince and a mermaid that appears to develop much more intense within the Netflix adaptation.
Essi has lengthy been a fan favorite character, so an extension of her story would seemingly be welcome to followers of The Witcher. It additionally matches expectations the following ebook will inform a facet story that does not instantly have an effect on the principle Witcher saga, that is instructed all through 5 books and is tailored as of Season 2 of the Netflix present. This was the case with the earlier Witcher ebook, Season of Storms, which launched in 2013 and instructed a self-contained story of Geralt years earlier than the principle saga.
Not solely does Geralt’s story come to a reasonably definitive finish in the principle saga, however a (technically unofficial) development has already taken place via the CD Projekt recreation sequence, which takes place within the few years following the books.
Whereas these are the one really canonical entries in The Witcher franchise, the universe has now developed far past the unique ebook sequence. The sport trilogy (and several other incoming sequels and spin-offs) are joined by the Netflix present, a comedian ebook sequence, a tabletop RPG, manga, and even a cookbook.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll discuss The Witcher all day.