NAMCO BANDAI, one of the global leaders in the digital entertainment sector, will oversee the distribution of the Studio’s upcoming release – The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – in Western Europe.
The agreement covers a three-year period following the game’s release and grants NAMCO BANDAI the right to manufacture, distribute and sell box versions of The Witcher 3 for the PC, Xbox One and PlayStation in Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. The agreement does not cover digital distribution to which CD PROJEKT retains the exclusive right.
“We are happy to cooperate with NAMCO BANDAI. I’m confident that such a renowned and experienced partner will do justice to The Witcher 3, ensuring its commercial success.” – says Adam Kiciński, President of CD PROJEKT.
NAMCO BANDAI Games Europe, which will directly oversee the distribution of the game in Western Europe, is part of NAMCO BANDAI Games, a subsidiary of NAMCO BANDAI Holdings, itself a global entertainment powerhouse listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, with a revenue of approximately 5 billion USD (in the fiscal year ending in March 2013). The company’s business profile covers videogames, toys, amusement parks and slot machines.
“We have previously worked with NAMCO BANDAI and hence our partners are quite familiar with both The Witcher and with the corporate values espoused by CD Projekt RED. The third installment of our flagship franchise will revolutionize the video RPG genre with its massive, open world, mature storyline and in-depth narrative. We are confident that NAMCO BANDAI will convey this message to European gamers.” – says Adam Badowski, CD Projekt RED Studio head and member of the board of its parent company (CD PROJEKT).
“CD Projekt RED’s reputation as a global innovator is well deserved. I am proud to announce that the keenly anticipated The Witcher 3 will be part of our 2014 catalogue. We are eager to cooperate with CD PROJEKT on one of the coming year’s hottest releases for the next console generation.” – says Alberto González Lorca, Vice President of NAMCO BANDAI Games Europe.
The deal with NAMCO BANDAI marks the conclusion of yet another significant distribution agreement concerning The Witcher 3. Earlier on CD PROJEKT announced that it had selected Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment as its Northern American distribution partner. In Japan the game will be distributed by Spike Chunsoft. Additional distribution agreements are currently being negotiated.
The third installment of The Witcher franchise was officially announced by CD Projekt RED Studio in February 2013. In June the first trailers were unveiled at E3 Los Angeles, the world’s largest gaming fair, where The Witcher 3 quickly emerged as one of the hottest upcoming releases. The game was further promoted at key digital entertainment fairs, including Gamescom in Cologne, Tokyo Game Show and IgroMir in Moscow.
Currently The Witcher 3 is being showcased at Brasil Game Show, the largest gaming fair in Latin America. The game has already garnered 80 industry awards, including the prestigious Golden Joystick award in the “Most Wanted” category. The award is based on a global poll among players asked to name the most anticipated upcoming videogame release.
The Witcher 3 is scheduled for release in 2014 for the PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4.