There’s a lot that goes into making sure fictional worlds like the one in Netflix’s The Witcher truly suspend your disbelief, whether through practical effects or computer-generated imagery. Now, the streaming juggernaut has given us a glimpse into the process behind bringing one of the most visceral fantasy universes to life.
While the second chapter in the story of Geralt and his ward Ciri has somewhat polarized fans, the critical reception has been extremely positive. But whatever your opinion on the narrative and its progression, it’s undeniable that they put in a lot of effort so that the 8-episode run looks gorgeous and polished. For instance, our characters spend a lot of time in the Witcher stronghold of Kaer Morhen in season two, and the CG holds up throughout.
Netflix has obviously increased the budget exponentially due to the show’s success, and if there’s one thing we know about productions of this magnitude, it’s that the VFX department always eats up a lot of money. Below you can see the breakdown of some of the shots in Kaer Morhen and Cintra, the former home of Princess Cirilla, which also received an aesthetic overhaul from the first season.
There are definitely a lot of set pieces that The Witcher fans are looking forward to in future seasons, but ultimately, it’s amazing to see how far the show, and the television industry as a whole, have come, despite the fact we’re only through with the second season. After all, even HBO’s Game of Thrones took a few years to match the sort of budget that Netflix is pouring into their new original series, and that was a phenomenal hit from the get-go.