Final week, we noticed the cinematic debut of The Witcher IV, the most recent instalment in CD Projekt Pink’s iconic darkish fantasy sequence. On this new chapter, we received’t be following Geralt; as a substitute, his adopted daughter Ciri takes heart stage as our witcher protagonist.
Following the announcement, we spoke with key leads at CD Projekt Pink to delve deeper into this trailer and learn the way the studio is gearing as much as introduce Ciri because the lead in a brand-new Witcher saga that may respect the sequence’ previous (and gamers’ selections in it) whereas main the sequence boldly into a brand new period.
A New Ciri
Within the reveal trailer, we’re launched to the village of Stromford, an remoted settlement situated deep within the north of The Continent. On this scene, a younger girl, Mioni, is chosen as a sacrifice to keep off a neighborhood monster. That is the place we see Ciri for the primary time – older, stronger, and brandishing these iconic metal and silver swords.
The Witcher IV takes place “a couple of years” after the tip of The Witcher 3, based on Narrative Director on The Witcher IV, Philipp Weber. Whereas the main points of what introduced Ciri to this specific place and time are nonetheless beneath wraps for now, we’re proven that Ciri has mutated eyes, a sign that she’s accomplished the Trial of the Grasses to develop into a witcher in her personal proper.
All through the occasions of each The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – to not point out Andrzej Sapkowski’s saga of Witcher novels, which the video games are based mostly upon – Ciri is about up as a secondary protagonist, and her persona could be very a lot established. By the tip, she is on no account simply an extension of Geralt, however a fully-fledged character able to tackle a brand new journey.
That journey may have gone in a number of instructions relying on the ending gamers acquired in The Witcher 3. Whereas CD Projekt Pink is retaining specifics near its chest, Weber assures us that The Witcher IV will deal with its predecessor’s a number of endings, and that private alternative is one thing they purpose to honour on this subsequent sport.
Variations Between Geralt and Ciri
The studio is eager to emphasize that whereas Geralt is a seasoned witcher who sometimes prefers to stay neutral, Ciri is a personality that may typically take a extra aggressive stance pushed by private motivation.
“Geralt has already created a code for himself, and he’s gone by a ton of experiences to get to that level,” Weber explains. “With Ciri, we now have the chance to indicate so much of these experiences as she finds her personal code, and her personal manner of dealing with these robust issues.”
We see this within the trailer reveal, as Ciri ventures into the forest and tells Mioni to flee again to the village, within the hopes that it’s going to save her. What’s fascinating to notice is that the inhabitants of Stromford don’t react positively to the sight of a witcher, despite the fact that Ciri is there to do good.
“She’s tremendous passionate, tremendous decided and really engaged on this story,” explains Sport Director Sebastian Kalemba. “She’s going to by no means hesitate; she deeply cares concerning the different woman right here.”
Sadly, regardless of Ciri’s greatest intentions and a gruelling battle with a brand-new monster generally known as a Bauk, Mioni nonetheless meets a swift finish, accentuating how grim the world of The Witcher IV will proceed to be, and the way its characters might proceed to search out methods to villainise Ciri’s selections (and your personal) regardless of a well-meaning method.
“Ciri is somebody who received’t settle for that destiny is simply given to you, you at all times should battle again, and typically that’s the precise factor to do,” says Weber. “On this trailer, we additionally needed to indicate some parallels that Mioni’s destiny may have additionally been Ciri’s as soon as upon a time, however she fought again towards that destiny.”
The nuance in Ciri’s character additionally stems from her backstory – which makes her an amazing character for a fancy, mature story about selections and penalties inside The Witcher’s darkish and infrequently unsettling world.
“Ciri is certainly a flawed character; she has so much of darkness in her, she was deserted, and she or he’s made horrible errors prior to now,” Weber explains. “However she additionally has some wonderful strengths, and I feel that is this stability that for us makes her into this nice character. We need to inform these character-driven tales, and I feel if we need to have actual characters with actual feelings, that additionally implies that they should have some flaws.”
That mentioned, the influence of Geralt on Ciri is on no account being overwritten; The Witcher IV‘s emphasis on alternative and consequence implies that Ciri will typically grapple with the choice she thinks is correct and maybe one other path that Geralt might have taken in the identical situation.
“She’s Geralt’s daughter, so she’s realized so much of values from him,” Weber notes. “There will likely be selections that really feel near what Geralt would do.”
Kalemba provides: “Geralt has additionally realized some issues from Ciri all through their journey in The Witcher 3, and that will likely be mirrored in these selections.”
Wanting Forward
The Witcher IV is of course a pure evolution for this sequence; and long-invested followers will discover deeper references and lore galore as they step into the fold with Ciri. CD Projekt Pink has confirmed that Geralt will return as a personality, however his place within the story stays a secret for now.
Nevertheless, this may even function a brand new starting for the franchise. Virtually 10 years and numerous growth classes on from the discharge of The Witcher 3, CD Projekt Pink acknowledges and embraces the truth that a brand new technology of gamers will need to expertise this world for the primary time with The Witcher IV.
“It is a new character and the origin story of Ciri [as a playable main character], and we consider it’ll be an amazing place to begin for newcomers,” Kalemba says. “There will likely be new areas and areas to discover, however it’s nonetheless very a lot the darkish fantasy world and story that Witcher followers know and love.”