"Witcher 4 to be Series' Most Ambitious Game"

The Witcher 4 promises to be the most immersive and ambitious installment in the beloved video game series, with Ciri stepping into her destined role as the next Witcher. CD Projekt Red (CDPR) has high aspirations for this title, and we delve into Ciri's ascent and Geralt's well-deserved retirement.

Most Immersive Witcher Title Yet

Ciri’s Destiny From The Very Beginning

CD Projekt Red is pushing boundaries with The Witcher 4, aiming to create "the most immersive and ambitious open-world Witcher game to date," according to executive producer Małgorzata Mitręga in an interview with GamesRadar+. "We definitely want to raise the bar with every video game that we create. This is what we did with Cyberpunk 2077 after The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, and we want to apply all of the lessons learned from both of these experiences and incorporate them into The Witcher 4," game director Sebastian Kalemba added.

The Witcher 4 will spotlight Ciri, Geralt of Rivia’s adopted daughter, who has now assumed the role of a Witcher, as showcased in the cinematic trailer unveiled at The Game Awards. This was always the plan, according to story director Tomasz Marchewka, who stated, "From the very beginning we knew it had to be Ciri - she's a very complex character, and there is so much to be told about her."

While fans are familiar with the powerful Ciri from The Witcher 3, she will appear slightly less formidable in this sequel. At the end of The Witcher 3, Ciri was "totally overpowered," but the trailer hints that some of her abilities might have waned. Mitręga kept details under wraps, only hinting that "something totally happened in-between." Kalemba reassured fans that clarity would come in due time, within the game itself. "We cannot tell you exactly how. But we can tell you just, like, believe us: that was one of the things, or first things, that we were solving, to make sure—the way we develop here, we do not leave anything without a clear answer."

Despite these changes, Ciri will still embody many of Geralt’s traits. Mitręga noted, "She's faster, more agile—but you can still tell that she was raised by Geralt, right?"

Time For Geralt To Retire—No, Really

With Ciri taking on the mantle of the Witcher, it's time for Geralt of Rivia to embrace a peaceful retirement. At over fifty years old, he's earned it. According to the novel series’ author, Andrzej Sapkowski, Geralt was 61 during The Witcher 3.

In Sapkowski’s latest book, Rozdroże kruków (Raven’s Crossing or Crossing of the Ravens in English), it's revealed that Geralt was born in 1211, making him 59 during the events of the first Witcher game, 61 in The Witcher 3, and 64 by the end of its DLC, Blood and Wine. By the time The Witcher 4 unfolds, Geralt could be in his seventies or nearing eighty, depending on the game's timeline.

Witcher lore suggests that Witchers can live up to a hundred years if they survive the dangers of their profession. Many fans were surprised by this, having previously believed Geralt to be around 90 years old.