In this new twist on the White Wolf’s legend, players step into the muddy boots of famed monster slayer Geralt of Rivia. But rather than chronicling his journey in grizzled grunts and sword swings, Reigns: The Witcher spins the tale through the gilded tongue of Geralt’s oldest friend: Dandelion the Bard. Every choice is a verse, every misstep a stanza and every bath an opportunity for a ballad.

Will you hunt monsters, upset the locals, or run a hot bath? Compose an inspiring epic to perhaps, one day, claim immortality.

From contracts and conspiracies to angry villagers and hotheaded sorceresses, your decisions carry weight across the Continent. A casual swipe left or right may win you renown among nobles, enrage a rabble of mages or leave you knee-deep in drowners. As any good witcher knows, few requests are as simple as they first appear.

Along The Path you’ll find the company of Yen, Triss, Vesemir and a roster of other beloved allies and adversaries. But remember: when filtered through Dandelion’s quill, even the most mundane of errands can become an audacious epic — or a slightly exaggerated disaster.

Oh no, another one of those studio announcements with text on a somber background color?

Unfortunately, yes, another one. Nerial is entering hibernation mode. After 13 years and 11 published games, we have decided together with our partners at Devolver to end development at the studio.

It’s been an incredible adventure. We came into this with no expectations or ambitions and we will never forget the utter puzzlement of releasing Reigns in 2016 to so many players, the fascinating and slightly disturbing Card Shark fan art players are still sending us, the thrill of Reigns expanding with adaptations of Game of Thrones, Animal Farm, Three Kingdoms and the latest, Reigns: The Witcher. Not forgetting our most ambitious project, The Crush House, which we remain immensely proud of.

The fabulous Nerial team will now seek new opportunities and we wholeheartedly recommend each and every one to any potential studios that will be lucky enough to have them. We also want to thank the many amazing people we’ve teamed up with, both inside the studio, at Devolver, and through ad hoc collaborations. Each of our projects was only possible through such impossible, fleeting conjunctions of talent and passion.

While this marks the end of Nerial as we know it, it’s not the end of game dev for us. We’re going back to our roots. Francois’ unrelenting drive to make games is as strong as ever, but first we need to take a break and reflect on everything that’s happened, before coming back with a new perspective.

—Tamara and Francois

Players will weave Geralt’s legend through branching stories, bardic embellishments and thousands of narrative combinations, with Dandelion himself conducting the chorus of fate. Between verses, the White Wolf still gets plenty of work done: combat minigames pit Geralt against ghouls, rotfiends and other foes both real and curiously improvised.

From taverns to far-flung villages, Reigns: The Witcher invites players to expand Dandelion’s ever-growing repertoire. Perform new “greatest hits” across the land, twist familiar stories into fresh tales and shape the saga of the White Wolf — in ways both dramatic and absurd.

Whether you’re crafting an epic for the ages or just trying not to drown in a swamp, Reigns: The Witcher will offer a new perspective on one of gaming’s most storied heroes — one swipe, one song and one scandal at a time.

Reigns: The Witcher is available for PC (Steam) and mobile.