Witcher 3 Cut A Feature Because NPCs Kept Dropping Babies

CD Projekt Red’s unwavering dedication to realism cemented The Witcher 3 as one of the decade’s most immersive open‑world RPGs. Yet that same pursuit of authenticity surfaced a handful of amusing DRAWBACKS during production, notably when the team struggled to make NPCs react to Geralt in a believable, natural way. One of the quirks that emerged was mothers repeatedly dropping their infants whenever the monster hunter barged into their homes.

“Because we focused on the countryside, it was easier for players to become curious,” quest designer Philipp Weber told Edge magazine (via GamesRadar). “If a village only has eight houses, people will want to see if the people truly exist in the world, or if it’s just fakery. Lots of people nowadays are interested in those kinds of details, and it really came to haunt us.”

While the NPCs in The Witcher 3 didn’t follow custom day‑and‑night schedules, they did cycle through distinct activities such as chopping wood or eating meals. These routines gave the world a lively pulse, preventing characters from opining as mere background scenery. The developers also aimed for these minor figures to react to Geralt’s presence—especially if he brandished his weapons inside a cottage—by displaying genuine fear.

“Our NPCs were supposed to have fear reactions,” Weber explained. “They would drop what they’re currently working on, that thing would fall to the ground, and they’d run away, afraid. The problem was that one of the ‘works’ that mothers could do was to hold and cradle a baby. For a few weeks, women were just dropping their babies, left and right.”

Contemporary open‑world games are increasingly leveraging fear mechanics to inject a heightened sense of realism and to avoid the jarring moment when NPCs simply follow scripted lines, breaking immersion. Back in the early 2010s, during the development of The Witcher 3, this was a far more daunting challenge. I believe the designers should have preserved the fear effect for at least one side‑quest; the writers could have explored it in creative ways. At least we still have the unforgettable “baby oven” moment.