'We are beholden to the lore': CD Projekt says there are 'valid worries' about Ciri as a witcher, but 'the answers we want to give in The Witcher 4 are in line with this attitude'

GamesRPG’We are beholden to the lore': CD Projekt says there are ‘valid worries’ about Ciri as a witcher, but ‘the answers we want to give in The Witcher 4 are in line with this attitude’When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

GamesRPG’We are beholden to the lore’: CD Projekt says there are ‘valid worries’ about Ciri as a witcher, but ‘the answers we want to give in The Witcher 4 are in line with this attitude’When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

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(Image credit: CD Projekt)

Still of Ciri from The Witcher 4 announcement trailer

In an interview withEurogamer, narrative director Phillipp Weber and director Sebastian Kalemba acknowledged that there are “many very valid worries and responses” about what was shown at The Game Awards, but reassured fans that they’re not just making stuff up on the fly.

Weber said he understands that some fans wanted another game featuring Geralt, and said he “could make games about Geralt until the day I die, and I would probably die happy.” But, he continued, making the game about Ciri provides new opportunities forCD Projektin terms of both the character and gameplay. “I think the best answer for us, for those people that really are worried right now, is basically to show them, when we are ready, that we really do this well and with care,” he said. “And I think—I hope—we can then convince them with the game itself. Because I think actions speak louder than words.”

He also acknowledged the difficulties and challenges women face in The Witcher’s notoriously sexist world, and said developers won’t shy away from that when telling Ciri’s story.

“We make games for adults, and it also means that we tackle some difficult topics. We tackle them in interesting ways,” Weber said. “We tackle them without giving easy answers, but often opening difficult questions that players have to answer.

“I think some of those questions might be going in this direction as well, because, yeah, Ciri is a woman, and as a witcher in this world, this is an unusual state. So I don’t think it’s going to be this story everywhere, but since this is a part of this world, and we want to tackle so many of those different themes, it’s definitely also going to appear there as well.”

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The Witcher IV — Cinematic Reveal Trailer | The Game Awards 2024 - YouTubeWatch On

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Weber touched on the desire among some Witcher fans to be able to make their own unique monster hunters rather than being shackled to a specific character, saying that “character-driven storytelling has been always in the DNA of our Witcher games.” Opting for Ciri in the lead role also enables developers to offer players a little more flexibility in that regard than they had in the previous games: While Geralt was an experienced Witcher right from the start of his trilogy, Ciri is just beginning her journey on the Path. “So in a way, even though Ciri is, of course, a defined character, with her, players will have the opportunity to still define her quite a bit more, specifically define the path that she will take on her way to becoming a witcher, and basically also what kind of person that will make her,” Weber said.

For those who really do want to get back to the OG, Weber seemed to at least leave the door open to the possibility. “We can promise that Geralt will appear, but we cannot tell you if it’s going to be playable or not right now,” he said. “But yeah, he will appear.”

The Witcher 4 doesn’t have a release target at this point, but it is definitely getting closer.

TOPICSCD Projekt

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