CD Projekt Red won't sacrifice The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt to ratings

CD Projekt Red isn't keeping the Australian Classification system in mind while it is developing content for its upcoming installment in The Witcher franchise, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, according to an interview with CDPR's Agnieszka Szostak on Games.On.net.

"We don't create the game with any specific rating in mind," Szostak told Games.On.Net. "We implement in it things we believe will create the best gaming experience. Whether those are meaningful choices, deep relationships between characters, sex scenes, bloody combat or curses."

According to Szostak, game ratings come second to developing the game as intended, and "Putting money, wide audience, ratings, sales charts" before the game is the wrong way to do it. CD Projekt Red hopes that with Australia's new rating system for video games, it won’t be required to amend the title in order for the game to see a release in the country.

Australia's classification system requires games sold at retail to be classified by the Australian Classification Board. The nation's Federal Parliament passed legislation to create an R18+ category for video game classification in February, 2012. The new classification system, which included the R18+ rating, came into effect Jan 1, 2013.

Last month, Saints Row 4 became the first video game in Australia to be refused classification under the new system. Developer Volition is amending the title so it can be resubmitted for classification and ultimately see a release in the country. Undead Labs open-world zombie survival title, State of Decay, was refused classification in Australia the next day because of "illicit or proscribed drug use." Undead Labs recently resubmitted the title for classification.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt will launch for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Windows PC and next-gen consoles. It will feature free DLC on Windows PC.