A real-world wizarding school in Poland had to close after licensing of its intellectual property was pulled CD Project Red.
As Eurogamer reports, The Witcher School, the real school that fans of the series can attend, is closing, and it can learn things like leatherwork, fencing, and casting magical signs. 5 Żywiołów, the company that runs the role-playing school, announced the news on Facebook, saying that CD Projekt Red had “terminated the license agreement”.
5 Żywiołów claims the license was revoked due to a staff member’s involvement with Ordo Iuris, a controversial, ultra-conservative Polish Catholic group known for its anti-abortion, anti-LGBTQ+ and anti-gender equality.
Associated staff Ania Wawrzyniak is the wife of Dastin Wawrzyniak, the founder of 5 Żywiołów. Ania apparently served as a lawyer for the firm for about two years between 2017 and 2019, according to a Facebook post signed by Dastin and brother Dominic Wawrzyniak.
The controversy over Ania stems from her recent direct involvement with Ordo Iuris, where she was commissioned to study “the legal mechanism for introducing and enforcing the obligation to vaccinate and the possible consequences of not complying with that obligation,” as well as “the draft law punishing illegal abortion,” According to a Facebook post.
The Polish media highlighted Ania’s involvement in Ordo Iuris in several channels, which led 5 Żywiołów to contact CD Projekt to try to explain. “We notified CD Projekt RED when the situation occurred, and in response, CD Projekt RED terminated the license agreement without asking for any explanation,” explained a recent Facebook post.
The studio responded when Eurogamer contacted CD Projekt Red for comment. “In February we decided to end our partnership with the wizarding school organizer. Now the three-month contract notice period has ended. More context, this partnership is about LARP itself, and potential merchandise related to it. We do not offer Further details on this matter.”
Despite the controversy, 5 Żywiołów plans to offer a new and original LARP experience and hopes to launch in spring 2023.
