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Worldbuilding, narrative, and agency in the intersemiotic translations of ‘The Witcher’

ORCiD logo with link | The Education University of Hong KongHong Kong
ORCiD logo with link | The Education University of Hong KongHong Kong
Published online: 2 February 2026
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https://doi.org/10.1075/ts.23053.pop
Abstract
This study examines the complex intersemiotic translations of Andrzej Sapkowski’s The Witcher series across multiple media platforms: from novels to video games and subsequently to a Netflix television adaptation. Through an interdisciplinary framework drawing on Translation, Adaptation, and Game Studies, this research investigates how narrative structures, worldbuilding elements, and audience agency transform across different media. Particular attention is paid to how game developers navigate the tension between narrative fidelity and player autonomy, as well as how the television adaptation further reinterprets these elements. The analysis reveals that successful adaptations balance medium-specific affordances with core thematic and narrative elements of the source material. This interdisciplinary approach offers valuable insights into contemporary transmedia storytelling practices and provides a theoretical model for understanding the multifaceted nature of adaptation in convergent media environments.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Theoretical framework: An interdisciplinary approach to adaptation
    • 2.1Intersemiotic translation and adaptation studies
    • 2.2Game studies and interactive narratives
  • 3.Methodology
  • 4.Analysis: The intersemiotic translations of the witcher
    • 4.1From book to game: Reimagining narrative in an interactive medium
      • 4.1.1Timeline and narrative continuity
      • 4.1.2Player agency and narrative structure
      • 4.1.3Character adaptation and development
      • 4.1.4Worldbuilding and expansion
    • 4.2From book to screen: The Netflix adaptation
      • 4.2.1Narrative structure and timeline
      • 4.2.2Character development and representation
      • 4.2.3Visual and aesthetic choices
    • 4.3Comparative analysis: Medium-specific translation and adaptation strategies
      • 4.3.1Narrative control and audience agency
      • 4.3.2Character development and portrayal
      • 4.3.3Worldbuilding and environmental storytelling
  • 5.Discussion: Theoretical implications
    • 5.1Beyond fidelity: Reconceptualising adaptation
    • 5.2Medium specificity and adaptation strategies
    • 5.3Interactive narratives and player agency
    • 5.4Transmedia storytelling and franchise development
    • 5.5Interface as semiotic boundary between media
    • 5.6Limitations of the study
  • 6.Conclusion
  • References
References (46)
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