Random: Former Beetroot Farmer Currently Senior CDPR Dev on The Witcher Sequel
Bluey, beets, Battlestar Galactica
by Khayl Adam · Push SquareWhile many developers enter the gaming industry by going to school to learn how to code, others take a more circuitous route. CD Projekt Red has an eye for talent, and game director Pawel Sasko has recounted the tale of how an Estonian beetroot farmer in Australia became a senior developer on codename Polaris, the currently in-development sequel to The Witcher.
In an interview with Flow Games (thanks, GamesRadar+), Sasko revealed that around half of CDPR staff currently working on quests for the next Cyberpunk are former modders. This spurred on the globe-trotting tale of how Eero Varendi came to work at the studio, initially catching Sasko's attention from a world away.
Spending his days toiling to feed Australia's insatiable hunger for beetroots, Varendi would spend his evenings modding, working to recreate the first game's prologue in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. His efforts were brought to the attention of Sasko: "I saw the video, and I was like, 'damn, this is such high-quality work'... he was, I think, 20 or 21, and he was at this time in Australia, and he was collecting beetroot with a huge combine, like those huge harvesters that are driving and collecting. Yeah, amazing guy. He's a senior right now on Polaris, the new Witcher game. He's obsessed about Witcher."
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So there you have it: Put your whole heart into every project, as you never know who will come across it. Are you surprised to see an erstwhile beet farmer become a senior developer at one of the most storied studios around? Does the prospect of pickled beetroot, pineapple, bacon, beef, cheddar cheese, onion, and fried egg on a delicious sesame seed bun set your tastebuds alight? Let us know in the comments section below.
[source youtube.com, via gamesradar.com]
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About Khayl Adam
Khayl Adam is Push Square's roving Australian correspondent, a reporter tasked with scouring the internet for the richest, most succulent PlayStation stories. With five years of experience as a freelance journalist and mercenary wordsmith, RPGs are his first great love, but strategy and tactics games are a close second, genres in which he is only too happy to specialize.
Comments 24
I love Beetroot so I approve.
- 2
- Czar_Khastik
- Fri, 6:25am
My story is similar. I was a senior dev and when people saw how bad my work is they suggested that I become a beetroot farmer
@Czar_Khastik tragic Czar backstory
Eating beetroot will make you think you have arse cancer next time you poo.
Well no need for me to be rooting for him, then. After all, the man can certainly root for himself!
- 7
- ApostateMage
- Fri, 8:33am
All of the ploughing scenes will be spot on in the next Witcher.
@zhoont I bet he can for sure!
CDPR have also recently hired one of the writers for Sucide squad, so it’s not looking good
- 10
- Hyena_socks
- Fri, 11:59am
@KillerBoy from what I’ve seen, the story looked pretty good - it was the dated gameplay that sunk it
@Hyena_socks the story was awful. They basically trash all the superheroes we know and love
- 12
- Th3solution
- Fri, 1:05pm
Beetroot is objectively disgusting. My stomach will now churn in disapproval every time I see Witcher promos.
- 13
- BearsEatBeets
- Fri, 1:18pm
I approve this story
@KillerBoy But if that was the point of the story then mission accomplished right?
@Th3solution you need to look up the word 'objective' as you don't seem to know what it means.
Bluey does not beet Battlestar Galactica are you mad?
- 17
- MikeOrator
- Fri, 9:21pm
All the ploughing in the Witcher is done on the back of a stuffed unicorn.
- 18
- Th3solution
- Fri, 11:45pm
@Scrubchub
Objective - “Just, honest, and free from bias or prejudice.
Restricted to, or based on, fact.
Of, or concerned with, the actual doing or use of something, rather than with theory and ideas.”
I’ll also throw this in for good measure as it might be helpful:
Sarcasm - “The use of acerbic or ironic language or behavior to mock or convey contempt.
The use of expressions that mean the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect.”
I’m glad we all learned something today. 😜
- 19
- Chupa_loyzer
- Sat, 3:31pm
But the sequel to The Witcher is The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, get your story straight.
@Th3solution sorry, I’m canceling our friendship and asking for a refund. Can’t allow my man betroot get disrespected like that.
All humor aside, it’s understandable how you form that view. If you come over here or any Arab country I’ll make sure you eat proper betroot. Like hummus with betroot. Delicious.
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- Th3solution
- Sun, 12:28am
@Yousef- Lol, no refunds or exchanges! All sales final!
I have no doubt that beetroot is like Brussel sprouts, asparagus, cauliflower, sardines… all depends on how they’re prepared.
My chances of making it over to Kuwait or an Arab country are probably limited, but I’ll try to seek out a good Arab restaurant over here. Maybe they can do beetroots justice…
Also — I’m surprised at how defensive people get when their favorite vegetable is criticized. Forget the console wars, the vegetable wars bring out the worst in us! 😂
@Th3solution nobody effs with my veggies!
But yeah, and if I can’t refund the friendship that means we’re gonna be friends… forever… 👻
I should also add I have, how should I put this, farmer’s taste buds? Old people’s taste? Worker’s tastes? The words are escaping me. But I mean to say I also adore stuff like Onions, Garlics, Blue Cheese, Eggplants, that stuff. I’m someone who’s likely to make an eat-over pretty interesting, whether or not for the reasons you’ll like.
- 23
- UnlimitedSevens
- Sun, 4:23am
One day you are farming beetroots in Australia, the next you are a senior dev for a famous Polish game company. Life sure throws some curve balls huh?
10,000.000 Beetroot xp incoming.
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