Just got a response:

Many thanks for reaching out to us again. We are still looking in to Linux but there is nothing concrete I can offer – we cannot promise we will release W3 on linux.
If the situation will be more clear we will make a public announcement.

It's somewhat less enthusiastic than before. May be looking in can mean some research on how to make the port? Overall it seems like it's nowhere close, but at least they didn't yet give up on it.

I think that response can only be interpreted to mean that they have no inclination to make a Linux version.

If they aren't even committed to releasing the game anymore, at least they could say that their previous ads are invalid now.

If they aren't even committed to releasing the game anymore, at least they could say that their previous ads are invalid now.

It wasn't *their* (CDPR's) ads; it was Valve's false advertising.

Is that confirmed somewhere or just people assuming things?

Strictly speaking it's an 'assumption', sure. But it's also obvious what's going on. It's been over a year since Valve put up that 'SteamOS Sale', where TW3 was listed -- thus announced -- as an upcoming Linux title.

Since then, CDPR have declined to comment, save for a couple of totally ambiguous emails to fans who were inquiring about this. All indications are such that they've nothing to comment on -- so in keeping silent, they're simply being responsible.

Even if there was the slight possibility, a year ago, for TW3 to come out on Linux, it sure wasn't enough to warrant Valve using TW3 to advertise their 'SteamOS sale' -- and by implication, the about-to-be-released Steam Machines.

Keeping silent in the face of false ads is not being responsible. It's being dodgy about the issue.

If they aren't even committed to releasing the game anymore, at least they could say that their previous ads are invalid now.

It wasn't *their* (CDPR's) ads; it was Valve's false advertising.

I doubt Valve took it on themselves to advertise the game.

If they aren't even committed to releasing the game anymore, at least they could say that their previous ads are invalid now.

It wasn't *their* (CDPR's) ads; it was Valve's false advertising.

I doubt Valve took it on themselves to advertise the game.

They were advertising the steam machines on the false promise that TW3 would be available on them.

An interesting interview from July 2015 (sorry for Google Translate).

First, he stated that they would still see at least the next two years updates and improvements for The Witcher. 3 They want to work to bring the game visually on the level at which it had during the first presentations - before the "downgrade", which actually was none yes * cough *. Iwinsky stated that he would play himself on the PC, because this version of his opinion, which was graphically best easy - also because you could, for example, play with a resolution of 4K. Nevertheless, the console versions would be extremely important for the company. Without the console versions, it would not given The Witcher 3 and eliminate the brackets in the development, is simply impossible. A console version would achieve a lot more players than with a PC-exclusive title.

Iwinsky also not hard to imagine that one could eventually publish a Enhanced Edition of The Witcher. 3 Currently, there are probably still no concrete plans. However, it is not to be thought unreasonable that the company published in perhaps two years a version that includes all previous updates, DLC and improvements and this brings new as Enhanced Edition on the market. Now, however, first be focused on further updates and the upcoming addon.

I suppose better (and thus more demanding) graphics means they'll rewrite the engine in modern APIs which can include Vulkan (their own engine developer mentioned this rewrite point). So I strongly suspect any potential Linux release will be tied to that effort. If the above is somewhat correct - don't expect Linux version for at least another 1+ years.

If they aren't even committed to releasing the game anymore, at least they could say that their previous ads are invalid now.

It wasn't *their* (CDPR's) ads; it was Valve's false advertising.

I doubt Valve took it on themselves to advertise the game.

They were advertising the steam machines on the false promise that TW3 would be available on them.

What I'm saying is that it's likely that Valve only advertised The Witcher 3 as a SteamOS title because they had some assurances from the developer or publisher that it was indeed coming to SteamOS. I find it unlikely that Valve just picked that game at random.

CD project red answered to me, that there's currently no linux version to be announced. What's wrong with them? >.<

Was it in an email? Can you show it to us? Just curious.

Yes I can. And yes, it was an E-Mail:

Hello there,

For now we don't have such plans. Should we decide to release The Witcher 3 to other OSes than Windows, we will let everybody know.

Kind regards,
Marcin Kulikowski

Still I don't believe Valve is doing Linux advertisments for no reason. If that would be the case they could promise any EA or Ubisoft Games coming to Linux which won't be the case before $MS dies.

To be honest: ATM in this case just means never - otherwise they'd either done this already or they'd at least announced that. Also there engine has no OpenGL/Vulkan render path. eON was a big fail with The Witcher II so they might not do that again. Even though other games (e.g. Bioshock Infinite) work very well with recent eON versions.

@cRaZy-bisCuiT: He says there they have no plans to release it. He didn't say they are not working on it. They always were saying that they have no defined plans for release. But I agree that the tone of this answer is pretty discouraging.

Recent response from Rafał Jaki:

Many thanks for your insight – but the question is not about the money but talent. Our team is focused mainly on Cyberpunk 2077 and Gwent and cannot revisit W3 for Linux.
We are still exploring our options for Linux – if we would have something new to announce we will do it via our social channels.

So it got worse. It confirms no one is working on it. Whatever that exploring means, it sounds like nothing will happen any time soon.

Well, looks like we got Houdini'd again.

By the time the Linux version of TW3 becomes 'feasible' for CDPR to work on, it'll be possible for the windows version to run under virtualbox.

By the time the Linux version of TW3 becomes 'feasible' for CDPR to work on, it'll be possible for the windows version to run under virtualbox.

VirtualBox is even less of a solution than Wine though. Virtual hardware or not, you're just running Windows and need a Windows license for it.

My guess is that CDPR expected VP to be able to do the port relatively easily. For obvious reasons, this turned out not to be the case.

So they don't have inhouse manpower available? Ok, happens. Then why not just contract it out to a porting house? I am pretty sure Feral or Aspyr would love to port that title for them.

My guess is that CDPR expected VP to be able to do the port relatively easily. For obvious reasons, this turned out not to be the case.

Hard to say. They didn't explain what their hiccups were.

So they don't have inhouse manpower available? Ok, happens. Then why not just contract it out to a porting house? I am pretty sure Feral or Aspyr would love to port that title for them.

That's exactly what I asked them. They didn't reply anything.

The wishlist entry is already above 10,000 votes.