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The Witcher

Witcher creator Andrzej Sapkowski gets gold Polish culture medal, accepts it with face like he’s just had his Switch 2 pre-order cancelled

Joshua Wolens

16 September 2025

I love this man so much.

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(Image credit: Gov.pl)

Although CD Projekt Red CEO Adam Badowski says it’s all a front, the grumpiness of Witcher creator Andrzej Sapkowski is legendary. This is the guy whose advice to novice writers was “Learn something that is worth doing. For example, repairing computers. That makes money. Forget about writing, it’s [a] hard business.” And as for his attitude towards the phenomenally popular game series? “I have no time for this.”

Which, I have to be honest, I find immensely charming. Here’s a man with no patience for nonsense. But perhaps even Sapkowski cracked a smile when he learnt he was getting Poland’s Gold Gloria Artis Medal for Merit to Culture, which the country’s Ministry of Culture hands out to artists who have made major contributions to its heritage.
Well, with his new gold medal (which you can see up-close on the Wiki page, and which wouldn’t look out of place in The Witcher itself) Sapkowski is now among the most hallowed of those ranks. He was given the medal by Polish culture minister Marta Cienkowska and, judging by the photos, immediately erupted into a gregarious bout of dancing, laughing, and merrymaking.

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‘These works are vital for the morale of our people,’ co-owner of Ukrainian publishing house declares after Games Workshop ends deal to translate Warhammer novels

No, just kidding. He looks like someone just told him the restaurant’s special of the day has run out. What a legend.

Still, everyone else seems very happy he’s got the recognition. On X, Cienkowska tweeted (the following is machine translated) “The words ‘something ends, something begins’ are the title of one of your stories—and a beautiful metaphor. For although each book and tale has its conclusion, the legacy you have created never ends. It lives on—in readers, gamers, viewers, and in culture.”
The Polish government itself published a tribute to “one of the most frequently translated fantasy authors” to mark the ceremony.

Andrzej Sapkowski uhonorowany Złotym Medalem „Zasłużony Kulturze Gloria Artis”Andrzej Sapkowski – pisarz, twórca postaci Wiedźmina, jeden z najczęściej tłumaczonych na języki obce autorów fantastyki – został odznaczony Złotym Medalem „Zasłużony Kulturze Gloria Artis. Najwyższe… pic.twitter.com/HAsuteuJXGSeptember 15, 2025

Also marking the occasion? Adam Badowski, of course, who tweeted that “Mr. Sapkowski’s work has influenced millions of fantasy fans around the world and inspired the next generation of artists, writers, and storytellers shaping Polish culture—us included. There would be no Witcher game without the Master!”

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Joshua Wolens

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News Writer

One of Josh’s first memories is of playing Quake 2 on the family computer when he was much too young to be doing that, and he’s been irreparably game-brained ever since. His writing has been featured in Vice, Fanbyte, and the Financial Times. He’ll play pretty much anything, and has written far too much on everything from visual novels to Assassin’s Creed. His most profound loves are for CRPGs, immersive sims, and any game whose ambition outstrips its budget. He thinks you’re all far too mean about Deus Ex: Invisible War.

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Cyberpunk: Edgerunners was a depression-fest because its writer is ‘from Poland and people in Poland are sad. They are born sad, they die sad, so I just wanted to make the whole world sad’

Balatro creator gets ‘a taste of my own medicine’ as he struggles in vain to score the game’s hardest achievement

‘These works are vital for the morale of our people,’ co-owner of Ukrainian publishing house declares after Games Workshop ends deal to translate Warhammer novels

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 added a new secret happy(ish) ending for people who straight-up solo an entire enemy army

Deus Ex lead Warren Spector pops up to remind everyone he didn’t make the game alone in a cave, wish you a happy 25th anniversary, and get me wondering if something Deus Ex-related is happening behind the scenes

Balatro creator finally gets the last harrowing achievement he needed to 100% complete his own game, now feels ‘better equipped’ to design its upcoming expansion

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