The Connection Between 'Les 12 travaux d’Astérix' and 'The Witcher 3'

The animated classic "Les 12 travaux d’Astérix," released in 1976, continues to resonate with audiences today, not only through its numerous television reruns but also via a delightful nod in the popular open-world role-playing game, "The Witcher 3," launched 39 years later.

Created by the renowned duo Uderzo and Goscinny, this film stands out as the second animated feature in the Astérix franchise, notable for being an original story rather than an adaptation of existing comic albums. In this adventure, Julius Caesar challenges Astérix and Obélix to complete twelve seemingly impossible tasks, promising to respect the indomitable Gauls if they succeed. Failure, however, would lead to a rather grim fate in the jaws of circus lions.

Among the film's iconic scenes is the infamous "house that drives you mad," where Astérix and Obélix must navigate a bureaucratic maze to obtain a seemingly simple document, the A38 pass. The duo's journey through a labyrinth of offices and floors brings them to the brink of insanity before they finally secure the elusive pass.

From Astérix to The Witcher

This particular storyline finds its way into a side quest in the "Blood and Wine" expansion of "The Witcher 3," released in 2015. In this quest, titled "Document Pursuit," a winemaker sends the player's character to a bank to withdraw funds. Upon arrival, the player is tasked with acquiring the document... A38.

While it may not reach the same level of absurdity as the original film's bureaucratic nightmare, the Beauclair bank also features employees who take unexpected breaks, adding an element of time management to the quest.

A video summary of this beloved quest can be found here!

It's worth noting that the Astérix franchise enjoys immense popularity worldwide, and it is likely that the Polish developers who worked on the game intentionally included this reference to the 1976 animated film.

Upon its release in France, "Les Douze travaux d’Astérix" garnered a total of 2.2 million admissions. It was later adapted into a special album featuring text and illustrations, though not in the traditional comic format. Additionally, it was released as a "discomagic" record featuring the voices from the film.

In related news, CD Projekt Red, the studio behind "The Witcher 3," has recently announced a forthcoming expansion titled "The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Songs of the Past," which is set to launch a decade after the original game's release. Initial images are expected to be revealed at the end of August, with a target release date in 2027, if all goes according to plan.