Witcher 3's Impact on the Video Game Industry

In a post Skyrim world, where every video game developer in the damn world has tried to see what made Skyrim such a house hold success since it's release, we been accommaded with open world games in the market. Most of these open world games tend to be pretty life less with little to no value to be found from them. In my personal opinion, what makes Skyrim's open world so great and better then most open world games is the freedom the game gives you, to explore dungeons, complete quests at your leisure, role play as any character you want in this thriving world. However Skyrim's defining traits can also be one of it's weaknesses, as the game is filled to the brim with forgetable fetch quests, and thus certain developers have tried to copy Skyrim, often with high degree's of failure, like Dragon Age Inquisition for example. An open world game filled with even more boring fetch quests. While Skyrim isn't the main topic of this journal, it's influence is critically important to the topic at hand. Primarily the fetch quests and open world nature of the game that so many publishers think is the key to sell a video game in today's market.

The Witcher 3 is basically the anti-Skyrim, in it it has a default protangonist, in a open world game filled with interesting side quests that have their own interesting story lines. These side quests are one of the factors as to why The Witcher 3 got rave reviews, and some developers are starting to notice it.

While The Witcher 3's impact on the Industry hasn't gone as far as Skyrim's impact has, it has influenced a few open world games, and quite frankly it turned out for the better. One good example is Ubisoft's own Assassin's Creed: Origins. Drawing inspirtation from the Witcher 3. Origin's own side content is damn awesome! Like The Witcher 3, AC Origins side quests actually have their own interesting stories that aren't repetitive fetch quests.

And it should be noted that AC games are often the poster child for boring open world games with pointless side content (With Black Flag's exception of course). Not Origins though, for it is my favorite game in the series right next to Black Flag. 

Horizon Zero Dawn is another good example of an open world game with pretty interesting side quests as well. Like TW3 Horizon Zero Dawn have their own meaningful side quests packed with interesting stories.

It's good to see the positive impact The Witcher 3 has done in the industry, and I hope more developers take note of what makes the game so great for their own open world games.