CD Projekt will reportedly offer additional royalties to The Witcher author

Andrzej Sapkowski, the author of The Witcher novels, chose poorly when he rejected CD Projekt's offer of a profit percentage in favor of an up-front lump sum for the rights to make videogames based on then-not-at-all-famous monster hunter. Geralt became a hit, CD Projekt became huge, and Sapkowski, aside from some increased exposure for his novels, missed out.

He finally got fed up and issued a demand for a slice of the pie last year, asking for PLN60 million ($16 million) in additional royalties. CD Projekt rejected the request, saying Sapkowski's demands "are groundless with regard to their merit as well as the stipulated amount." The studio legally and legitimately acquired the rights to the property, it added, and "all liabilities payable by the Company in association therewith have been properly discharged."

Despite the finality of that response, the studio also said that wanted to "maintain good relations with authors of works which have inspired CD Projekt Red's own creations," it said. "Consequently, the Board will go to great lengths to ensure amicable resolution of this dispute; however, any such resolution must be respectful of previously expressed intents of both parties, as well as existing contracts."

It sounds like those efforts have now borne fruit, as Polish site Puls Biznesu (via WCCFTech) says that "CD Projekt and Sapkowski [are] closer to the end of the dispute," and that a "reconciliation" between them now appears possible. There's no indication of a specific amount—the bulk of the report is behind a paywall—but it's apparently going to be significantly less than his initial demand.

I've reached out to CD Projekt for confirmation of the report, and will update if I receive a reply.

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Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.