The Witcher 4 devs say that the choice of Ciri as the new RPG’s protagonist was something they knew they wanted for “the longest time.”
In an explainer published after The Witcher 4’s reveal trailer at The Game Awards, game director Sebastian Kalemba said that being able to reveal that Ciri would be at “the heart of the story” was a great feeling. “For the longest time we knew that we wanted Ciri to be the protagonist of The Witcher 4; it just felt natural to us and we believe that Ciri deserves it.”
The explainer goes on to reemphasize that The Witcher 4 is the first game in a new saga, and that in that first game, “Ciri is taking her first steps on the path of a witcher.” It also goes on to offer a little more information about the character – just in case you’ve forgotten how good The Witcher 3 was, I suppose. Ciri is described as “Geralt’s opposite,” due to how sociable and outgoing she is, but also due to her naivety compared to Geralt’s seasoned skills. Of course, she can also wield magic – something explored in both The Witcher 3 and Andrezj Sapkowski’s novels.
Story director Tomasz Marchewka explains that “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.” He continues: “She’s familiar, but at the same time she’s fresh. And she’s simply a badass.” Executive producer Malgorzaia Mitrega says the character is “a worthy successor to the title of the next Witcher […] she’s open, curious, and drawn to people, yearning for connection and understanding. This opens up uncharted territory in storytelling.”
Sadly, The Witcher 4 has only recently entered full production, so we’re likely still several years from discovering more about Ciri’s journey. But there’s likely plenty to be unpicked from last night’s reveal trailer – and with a new book heading to English-language audiences some time relatively soon, it’s a very good time to be a Witcher fan.