CD Projekt Red (CDPR) has announced that The Witcher 4 will be the most ambitious and immersive entry in the acclaimed series to date. Executive producer Małgorzata Mitręga confirmed that Ciri, Geralt's adopted daughter, will take center stage as the next Witcher, a destiny hinted at from the franchise's inception. This article delves into Ciri's evolution and Geralt's well-deserved retirement.
A New Witcher Emerges
CDPR aims to surpass previous achievements with The Witcher 4, creating an unparalleled open-world experience. Director Sebastian Kalemba emphasized the team's commitment to learning from past successes with Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, applying those lessons to this new chapter.
The Game Awards trailer showcased Ciri's ascension to the Witcher mantle, a narrative direction story director Tomasz Marchewka revealed was planned from the outset. He highlighted Ciri's complexity as a character, promising a rich and compelling storyline.
While fans adore Ciri's overpowered abilities in The Witcher 3, Mitręga hints at a shift in her skillset for The Witcher 4. She acknowledges a significant event between games that has altered Ciri's abilities, promising a clear in-game explanation without revealing specifics. Despite this, Ciri will retain the essence of Geralt's training, maintaining her agility and speed.
Geralt's Well-Earned Rest
With Ciri's rise, Geralt's era as the main protagonist concludes. The author Andrzej Sapkowski's latest novel, Rozdroże kruków, confirms Geralt's birth year as 1211, placing him in his seventies or nearing eighty by the time of The Witcher 4. This revelation surprised some fans who previously estimated his age to be much higher. While Witcher lore suggests a lifespan of up to a hundred years, Geralt's advanced age underscores the passage of time and the natural progression of the story.