CD Projekt Red has officially announced The Witcher 4, confirming that Ciri will take over as the playable character. After years of speculation from fans, the new installment shifts the focus away from Geralt of Rivia, the main protagonist from the previous games.
First Trailer Highlights Ciri’s Power
The cinematic trailer (watch below), revealed at The Game Awards 2024, features Ciri facing a terrifying monster called the Bauk. Set in a besieged village, the trailer showcases her signature combat and magical abilities as she protects civilians. The haunting visuals, crafted with Unreal Engine 5, give a taste of what’s to come, though CD Projekt Red emphasized that this is a teaser and may not fully represent the final gameplay.
The development team has also confirmed that this installment will introduce fresh gameplay mechanics while maintaining the series’ hallmark storytelling. No release date has been announced as of yet.
Always about Ciri
The Witcher 4’s executive producer, Małgorzata Mitręg, told IGN everything has been leading up to Ciri:
It was always about her, starting from Saga when you read it in the books. She’s an amazing, layered character. And of course, as a protagonist we said goodbye to Geralt previously. So this is a continuation. I guess for all of us it’s like she was meant to be. That was always her.
The Witcher 4 director Sebastian Kalemba added:
She’s actually about to become the Witcher.
She’s about to actually form her own codex, but on her own terms. The way she actually deals with the monsters, the way she deals with quests, the adventures, it’s her own unique way. And also I think that she gives more room to be able to tell different stories here and there.
Of course, we want to give the opportunity for the player to explore more nuance because this is what we do. But she deserves that.
Netflix series is done with Season 5
This reveal happens to coincide with changes in The Witcher TV series on Netflix. Henry Cavill, who portrayed Geralt of Rivia, exited the show after Season 3, with Liam Hemsworth stepping in and replacing Cavill as Geralt. Netflix recently announced that the series will conclude with Season 5.
Watch The Witcher 4 trailer:
