Witcher 4: Dev Team Prepares for Epic Sequel

The Witcher 4's Development: A Ciri-centric Trilogy Begins

CD Projekt Red's approach to developing The Witcher 4 involved a unique initiation process for new team members. This involved contributing to a specific quest within The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, providing a crucial bridge to the new project. The game, starring Ciri in a leading role, marks the beginning of a new trilogy for the beloved character.

Excitement surrounding The Witcher 4's first reveal is still palpable, but the groundwork for its development began much earlier. While The Witcher 3 launched in May 2015, featuring Ciri as a playable character in certain segments, the team's renewed focus began two years prior with a special in-game quest.

The "In the Eternal Fire's Shadow" side quest, added to The Witcher 3 in late 2022, served a dual purpose. It promoted the game's next-gen update and provided a canonical explanation for Geralt's possession of the armor worn by Henry Cavill in the Netflix series. Philipp Webber, formerly a quest designer for The Witcher 3 and now narrative director for The Witcher 4, recently shared that this quest acted as an onboarding experience for new team members, effectively serving as their initiation before diving into The Witcher 4's development.

A Smooth Transition to The Witcher 4

Webber described the quest as "the perfect start to getting back into the vibe," aligning neatly with The Witcher 4's March 2022 announcement. While pre-announcement planning undoubtedly occurred, this detail sheds light on the team's practical transition into the new project. Although Webber didn't name specific individuals, it's plausible that some team members transitioned from the Cyberpunk 2077 team, given its 2020 release. This timing also fuels speculation regarding a potential Phantom Liberty-style skill tree in The Witcher 4.