The Witcher 2 v1.1 Patch Released, All Versions Now DRM-Free

Not only has CD Projekt RED released their promised v1.1 patch for The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, but in a surprising and highly respectable move, they’ve actually removed the DRM from all editions of the game. That means that even Russian installations can update to 1.1, thanks to the removal of the StarForce protection. Word is:

CD Projekt RED announces the release of Patch 1.1, which brings important improvements to The Witcher 2, the highly acclaimed game released a week ago. The most noticeable change is the removal of the DRM protection world-wide. This gives players the freedom to install and play the game on any number of computers, and no activation code is required.

Other notable improvements include frame rate increases of approximately up to 30%, especially noticeable on DRMed versions and low spec systems, better stability, and non-problematic installation of free DLCs (the first free DLC, the “Troll Trouble” quest, is incorporated into the patch), the possibility of inverting the mouse and re-mapping directional control on the keyboard, and more.

Adam Badowski, CD Projekt RED Development Director, commented, (Our goal is to make our fans and customers happy and to reward them for buying our game and DRM schemes does not support our philosophy as they might create obstacles for users of legally bought copies. Our approach to countering piracy is to incorporate superior value in the legal version. This means it has to be superior in every respect: less troublesome to use and install, with full support, and with access to additional content and services. So, we felt keeping the DRM would mainly hurt our legitimate users. This is completely in line with what we said before the release of The Witcher 2. We felt DRM was necessary to prevent the game being pirated and leaked before release. This purpose has been served, so we are pleased to let our users enjoy the full freedom of game usage they deserve.)

Badowski also explained CD Projekt RED’s stance on DRM from another perspective, “It’s important to remember that the PC platform is far more complex than consoles. DRM adds another layer of complication and potential problems. We saw this clearly in our game. Pre-release tests showed only small performance differences compared to the DRM-free (GOG.com) versions. We were unpleasantly surprised when some of our fans reported much larger differences, up to 30% lower framerates. This was another clear signal that we had to remove DRM as soon as possible the quality of our users’ gameplay experience is absolutely our number one priority!”

Regarding the other fixes and improvements, Badowski further stated, “Patch 1.1 is also very important because it overcomes the major technical obstacles some of our customers encountered with installation and activation. We believe that after installing the patch, practically all users will be able to enjoy the game without flaws. At the same time, I would like to assure everyone that we will continue working on post- release support. Therefore, if there are things that still bother users with certain system configurations, they can expect them to be resolved soon as well. What is equally important, we are constantly reviewing feedback from our fans and looking through their requests and we will be adding new functionality and enhancements to the game to make sure gamers can enjoy the most out of the Witcher 2. We are also pleased to advise our fans who purchased the Russian-language edition that (contrary to what we communicated earlier) Patch 1.1 will function for them.)

The Witcher 2 users may download Patch 1.1 only via manual download from here (Patch 1.1 will not download through auto-patching system from the game Launcher). Before applying the patch make sure to read the .txt file which can be found in the game start menu or here.

In addition, for players with problems or questions related to the free DLCs from certain pre-order offers and special game editions, CD Projekt RED has set up special e-mail support addresses to provide prompt help:

Players who were supposed to receive the free Roche Jacket DLC can write to combatjacket@support.thewitcher.com

Players who were supposed to receive the free Finisher Pack DLC can write to finisherpack@support.thewitcher.com

Players who were supposed to receive the free Mysterious Merchant DLC can write to mysteriousmerchant@support.thewitcher.com

Players who were supposed to receive the free Ultimate Alchemy Suit DLC can write to ultimatealchemists@support.thewitcher.com

Players who were supposed to receive the free Ultimate Mage DLC can write to ultimatemage@support.thewitcher.com

Players who were supposed to receive the free Ultimate Swordsman DLC can write to ultimateswordsman@support.thewitcher.com

Information on further CD Projekt RED plans will be announced soon at the CD Projekt Summer Conference to be held shortly before E3. The proceedings will be broadcast online. A number of announcements from the CD Projekt Group (including CD Projekt RED and GOG.com) can be expected, including two major ones.

If you own the GOG version of the game, then you’ll want to download this version of the patch. Other users will find various mirrors for the patch around the web, including a set of links at AtomicGamer. Finally, here are the full patch notes:

1. Fixed the free Troll Trouble DLC download. It is now included n the patch so there’s no need to download and install it separately.

2. Fixed an issue that prevented some users from downloading other free DLCs (the ones given out with some pre-orders, special promotions, etc). The launcher now properly refreshes the list of available DLCs and allows for installation.

3. Performance improvements: approximately 5% to 30% better framerate and faster game loading for many users, depending on their individual systems and game versions. Owners of retail versions can expect the biggest improvements.

4. Fixed random crashes occurring on some systems, especially after saving and loading saves.

5. Key mapping allows the arrow and number keys to be used for movement.

6. Added the option to invert the mouse.

7. nVidia surround vision now works properly.

8. More accurate assessment provided by the “auto-detect settings” option will help improve game performance.

9. Removed a bug that prevented completion of the (Blood Curse) quest.

10. Fixed a bug that prevented the additional link in “Extras” from being unlocked after winning the dice game against the GOG.com monk.