Netflix series and a Steam sale give Witcher 3: Wild Hunt a huge boost

Despite being over four years old, Witcher 3: Wild Hunt not only remains popular but is actually more popular than ever on Steam.

Yesterday, over 94,000 players were logged into the game, exceeding the previous record from the launch back in May 2015. There is no doubt that the Netflix Witcher series has helped to boost interest in the game, but Steam also has a huge sale on The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt -- Game of the Year Edition (which includes the Hearts of Stone and Blood & Wine expansions), with a massive 70 percent off serving as a huge enticement for newcomers.

The longevity of the Witcher 3 -- and, indeed, early games from the franchise -- says a great deal about how gaming has changed in recent years. There have been a handful of titles that have managed to maintain lasting appeal, but developers' embracing of downloadable content and expansion packs helps to feed the needs and demands of gamers.

The Netflix serialization of Andrzej Sapkowski's Wiedźmin books has proved to be a great form of advertising for the game franchise as a whole, not just the most recent version. As Polygon reports, even the 11-year-old The Witcher: Enhanced Edition has been pushed into the top 100 games.

If you want to take advantage of Steam's current deal (The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Game of the Year Edition plus the Hearts of Stone and Blood & Wine expansions for just $15), you can do so here here.