The Witcher 4 to give Geralt an important role as Ciri takes over as the new protagonist

CD Projekt Red says The Witcher’s longtime protagonist will still play an important role in the upcoming Witcher 4, which is led by Ciri, Geralt’s former protégé and the new protagonist. CDPR narrative director Philipp Weber told a fan on X that Geralt will still play a key role in The Witcher 4, days after joint CEO Michał Nowakowski confirmed the game is slated for a 2028 release window.

An ongoing endeavor that gamers will first get their hands on in 2028

CDPR has been developing The Witcher 4 with full access to Unreal Engine 5. More than 500 developers have been working on the project since it entered full-scale production in 2024, as part of a six-year plan to ship The Witcher 4, 5, and 6 as one trilogy.

After Michał Nowakowski announced the 2028 release target, CDPR shares fell by 7% amid concerns that the company was targeting a broad release window rather than providing a firm commitment or release date for consumers and gamers to anticipate.

A focus on Ciri does not mean Geralt is a side character

Ciri had a minor role in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt in 2015. The side character appeared in select fixed sequences but wasn’t featured in free roam. However, that will change with The Witcher 4, where she will be the primary protagonist.

Weber, a former quest designer for The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077, responded on August 26 to a fan who wanted Geralt to lead the next game instead of Ciri. Weber replied that he understood where the fan was coming from and had felt the same way early in development, presenting Ciri’s role as something the studio still has to earn rather than something owed to her by default.

As for Geralt, Weber said he “will always have an important role.” This could mean Geralt will have his share of screen time and still act as a central character in the story, but Weber didn’t elaborate on whether Geralt or Ciri will drive the plot of The Witcher 4.

Internal development had also been a point of contention for story and narrative design, as much of the backlash centered on who would lead a Witcher story. There was mild internal turmoil and backlash over Ciri’s scripted turns in The Witcher 3 because nobody expected the arrangement to become permanent.

With The Witcher 4 revealed at The Game Awards in December 2024 and Ciri confirmed as the game’s sole protagonist, fan reactions have been mixed. Meanwhile, Doug Cockle’s Geralt of Rivia might take a backseat in the story’s narration this time and potentially make a bigger return in the upcoming Witcher trilogy, i.e., The Witcher 5 and 6.

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