Alongside Onimusha: Way of the Sword and the long-awaited sequel to Okami, CD Projekt RED’s The Witcher 4 was perhaps the biggest announcement from The Game Awards 2024. Though Geralt returns in some unknown role (and is heard in the trailer), Ciri is now the protagonist.
The response has prompted a myriad of reactions, from positivity to outrage. However, per narrative director Philipp Weber, the decision wasn’t made because the team was “suddenly making up stuff.” Slight spoilers follow for The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt and the books, so beware.
Speaking to Eurogamer alongside game director Sebastian Kalemba, Weber responded about how series author Andrzej Sapkowski felt about the choice. “I can actually give you a very good answer because it’s the answer Andrzej Sapkowski usually gives: the answer is in the books. In the books, Andrzej Sapkowski calls Ciri a witcher multiple times, and Geralt calls Ciri a witcher in the books too. So, I think that basically says what Andrzej Sapkowski thinks about the topic.”
However, Weber said there are “many very valid worries and responses” regarding Ciri as the protagonist. “Because I think a lot of them come out of passion, and I think a lot of those questions are also questions that we asked ourselves.
“So we really, again, say that we are beholden to the lore, the canon of the books by Andrzej Sapkowski, the three previous Witcher games, and we’d want to take that seriously, and we really want to respect that. So, all the answers we basically want to give in The Witcher 4 are in line with this attitude. We’re not suddenly making up stuff just because we want to. We really want to take these things seriously.”
Weber acknowledged that he could “make games about Geralt until the day I die,” and understood how fans would want another game with him. “But I think for me, and I think for all of us [at CDPR], it’s also just really exciting to see all the opportunities that Ciri brings us, both with her character and also by just virtue of who she is, what we can do with her in terms of the gameplay as well.
“So I think the best answer for us, for those people that really are worried right now, is basically to show them when we are ready, that we really do this well and with care. And I think – I hope – we can then convince them with the game itself. Because I think actions speak louder than words.”
On top of this, Kalemba noted how seeds were already planted in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt for Ciri to become playable. “Please remember that we are also not only developers, but we are also gamers, right? And, you know, we’ve started with the second protagonist already in The Wild Hunt. And so there was already a tease. So we really [are] all about making sure such calls are very educated calls. And we really believe, as Philip already said, that we also have so much of a great story to tell with Ciri, and she deserves that.”
The Witcher 4 is developed on Unreal Engine 5 for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. It doesn’t have a release date, but full production began last month, so it’s likely a way off. Stay tuned for updates, and check out our feature here.
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