Sapkowski Regrets Throwaway Line That Spawned Key Game Lore

The acclaimed author of The Witcher book series, Andrzej Sapkowski, recently stated that the concept of multiple Witcher Schools—a cornerstone of the popular CD Projekt Red video game adaptations—is a “completely unnecessary” addition to the franchise’s lore. He made the comments in a recent Q&A, explaining that the entire idea is rooted in a single, regrettable sentence from his first short story collection, The Last Wish.

Sapkowski confirmed that a single, brief mention of a “School of the Wolf” made it into the book, but he quickly deemed the concept “narratively incorrect, even detrimental to the plot.” He wrote, “Therefore, later I never included or referenced any Witcher Gryffindors or Slytherins again. Never.”

“Video Game People” Clung to the Idea

Despite his decision to abandon the thread, the author noted that the games’ developers and fans embraced the idea with surprising tenacity. The video game series, most notably The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, dramatically expanded this concept, introducing several distinct factions like the School of the Cat, School of the Griffin, School of the Bear, and more, each with its own signature armor and combat style. This is a crucial element for many RPG and fantasy game fans, offering different paths and gear to collect, which is a high-CPC search term in the gaming industry.

The author expressed his frustration with this expansion, stating: “However, that one sentence was enough. Adaptors, particularly video game people, have clung to the idea with remarkable tenacity and have wonderfully multiplied these ‘witcher schools.’ Completely unnecessary.”

Future of the Books: Deletion or Expansion?

The author is currently contemplating how to address the discrepancy in his own works. He offered two potential paths forward:

• He might take “the path of least resistance” and erase the original sentence about the “school” from future editions of The Last Wish.
• Alternatively, he may “expand and clarify the matter somehow in subsequent books,” possibly shedding light on the “issue of Witcher medallions, their significance, and their connection to specific individuals,” rather than focusing on the schools themselves.

This statement adds a new layer to the long-standing, often contentious relationship between the original author and the wildly successful video game adaptations, further cementing the distinction between the two canons in the eyes of the original creator. This is particularly relevant as CD Projekt Red is currently developing the next installment in the series, often dubbed The Witcher 4, which features a new Lynx-shaped medallion—a clear reference to the Schools of the Witcher game lore.