Alright, grab your popcorn, because this tale is a perfect blend of drama, irony, and gamers proving once again that nothing gets them angrier than a studio doing something they didn’t expect. So, what happened? CD Projekt Red (CDPR), the Polish studio behind The Witcher and Cyberpunk 2077, decided to throw a curveball during The Witcher 4’s announcement. Instead of following the usual playbook of releasing an English-language trailer alongside other versions, they made the bold move of dropping a trailer exclusively dubbed in Chinese (中配, zhōngpèi). Yes, Chinese. Not Polish. Not English. Chinese.
Now, after the BZZZT: Buzzbot! debacle from last year, you’d think this would be a brilliant move. Let’s quickly recap that glorious mess: BZZZT: Buzzbot! was an indie darling created by industry veteran Karel Matejka. It earned rave reviews for its gameplay and visuals, but its reputation hit the skids faster than a drunk Roach galloping sideways when Chinese gamers discovered it didn’t include Mandarin among its 11 supported languages—despite being sold in China. The backlash was as swift as it was brutal. Chinese players flooded the game’s Steam page with negative reviews, accusing the developer of wanting to “earn Chinese money without respecting Chinese gamers.” For them, it wasn’t just about convenience; it was about being seen and valued. That debacle should have been a masterclass for every developer on what not to do. Ignoring Mandarin? Bad. Very bad. Lesson learned, right?
So, when CDPR decided to release a Chinese-dubbed trailer for The Witcher 4, it seemed like a home run. A slam dunk. A standing ovation waiting to happen. After all, English proficiency in China isn’t exactly at global tournament levels, and gamers there often rely on dubs and subs for full immersion. Unlike countries where subtitles might suffice, Chinese players generally need voice acting in their language to fully enjoy the experience. So, CDPR’s decision? Genius! Applause all around, right?
Wrong. Surprisingly, the Chinese internet exploded. Instead of cheers, CDPR was met with criticism from their target audience. “Why only the Chinese trailer? Where’s the English one?” some Chinese gamers grumbled, apparently forgetting that this was a move designed to prioritize their preferences. Others complained that dubbing into Chinese wasn’t necessary and that subtitles would have been fine. It’s almost as if CDPR had announced Geralt’s new mount was a hoverboard, given the outrage. So, what went wrong?
Here’s where the irony kicks in: many of the critics of the Chinese-dubbed trailer claim to be diehard advocates for “authenticity” in gaming. You know the type—self-proclaimed purists who insist on experiencing games in their “original” form. Yet somehow, these same authenticity warriors are perfectly fine playing The Witcher in English, even though the game is Polish through and through. If they were really that committed to authenticity, shouldn’t they demand all trailers, dialogue, and narration be in Polish? But no, apparently, English is totally fine. Mandarin, though? Oh no, that’s where they draw the line. God forbid the most spoken language on Earth gets a seat at the table.
This bizarre disconnect can be partly explained by the anchoring effect, a cognitive bias that makes people stick to their initial impressions like glue. For decades, English has been the anchor for most international games, serving as the default language of gaming, even when it wasn’t the original language. Because many Chinese gamers were first introduced to The Witcher through its English localization, their brains are now firmly anchored to the idea that English is “authentic,” even though the game is as Polish as pierogi. It’s a bit like assuming pizza is only authentic if it comes from a New York diner because that’s where you first tasted it. The anchoring effect doesn’t just shape expectations—it completely distorts them, making any deviation from the “anchor” seem alien and, in this case, downright offensive.
Let’s take a moment to appreciate the absurdity. These purists seem to think that a game with Polish roots, set in a fantastical medieval universe, narrated in English, and now dubbed in Chinese is somehow betraying its authenticity. It’s like saying, “I’ll eat sushi with a fork, but if you serve me dumplings with chopsticks, you’ve ruined the experience.”
To show just how divisive this debate is, let’s look at the poll included in the original Chinese article. The question was simple: “Would you accept and enjoy a game with Chinese dubbing?” On the “Of course!” side, fans argued that Chinese is their mother tongue and that it enhances immersion, allowing players to enjoy the game without reading subtitles. On the “Absolutely not!” side, detractors claimed Chinese dubs ruin the experience and called for “original” voice acting instead. The results? A near-even split: 29 votes for yes, 39 for no. It’s like a heated family dinner where half the table insists the turkey needs more gravy, and the other half is threatening to storm out because there’s too much gravy.
So, how do we fix this? The answer is simpler than you might think: choice. Gamers don’t need developers to make grand, sweeping decisions about what language they should use. What they need is the freedom to decide for themselves. Let players toggle between languages for audio, subtitles, and the UI. If someone wants to hear Geralt grumble in Polish while reading Chinese subtitles, let them. If another player wants full English localization with no subtitles at all, let them have it. Why force anyone into one box when you can give them the whole toolbox?
This isn’t just about appeasing one market or another; it’s about recognizing that gamers are a global audience. Gaming is no longer a hobby confined to specific regions or languages. It’s a cultural juggernaut that transcends borders. The developers who succeed in this new landscape will be the ones who embrace that reality, not fight it.
So, to those still raging about The Witcher 4’s Chinese trailer: take a breath. The game will still have English, Polish, and probably half a dozen other languages when it launches. Your experience isn’t being “tainted” by the inclusion of Mandarin. If anything, the fact that more people will be able to enjoy the game in their own language should be cause for celebration. After all, if authenticity means anything, it’s about making games feel real and relatable to everyone who plays them. And that’s something no single language can achieve on its own.
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