Today, October 26, is the 19th anniversary of The Witcher, the groundbreaking RPG that introduced Geralt, and CD Projekt, to the world. To mark the moment, CD Projekt took to social to pay tribute to friends who made it all possible: BioWare.
CD Projekt joint CEO Michał Nowakowski spoke warmly of BioWare last week in the immediate aftermath of the studio's shocking closure, crediting it as "a massive part of CDPR history." The Witcher was built on BioWare's Aurora engine, which it created for Neverwinter Nights, but BioWare did more than just share technology: It also worked to help bring the upstart Polish RPG to much wider attention.
"19 years ago, an ambitious dream to bring an iconic book series into the world of video games came to life with the release of The Witcher. It was the start of an unforgettable path, which wouldn't have been possible without our friends at BioWare," CD Projekt wrote.
"From lending us their Aurora Engine and sharing their knowledge, to giving us a spot at their booth at E3, their support helped turn our vision into Geralt’s first interactive adventure. Thank you to everyone who has walked the Path with us from the very beginning. Happy 19th anniversary, witchers!"
19 years ago, an ambitious dream to bring an iconic book series into the world of video games came to life with the release of The Witcher. It was the start of an unforgettable path, which wouldn't have been possible without our friends at BioWare.
— @thewitcher.com (@thewitcher.com.bsky.social) 2026-10-26T19:05:28.197Z
From lending us their Aurora Engine and sharing their knowledge, to giving us a spot at their booth at E3, their support helped turn our vision into Geralt’s first interactive adventure. Thank you to everyone who has walked the Path with us from the very beginning. Happy 19th anniversary, witchers!
— @thewitcher.com (@thewitcher.com.bsky.social) 2026-10-26T19:05:28.112Z
The first Witcher game, released in 2007 as a PC exclusive, was a critical hit and (eventually) a sales success, too. After that, CD Projekt leveled up, moving off of Bioware's engine and creating its own REDengine for 2011's The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, and Cyberpunk 2077.
Of course it's not really a happy anniversary moment. CD Projekt's kind words were prompted by last week's shutdown of BioWare by Electronic Arts, which had the audacity to call itself "the number one publisher in Western HD gaming" while simultaneously admitting that it couldn't figure out what to do with one of the most storied game studios ever.
Even in an industry as riven with layoffs, closures, and general instability as videogames, the end of BioWare felt different and more impactful, sending shockwaves in all directions. Tributes, mourning, and anger followed, and as more anniversaries like this one arrive, I have no doubt we'll see more memories of BioWare, and regrets over its loss, in the future.
