Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty came through with striking improvements to the game’s character progression and skill customization systems back in September 2023. Given that CD Projekt Red (CDPR) is behind both Cyberpunk 2077 and the upcoming new installment of The Witcher saga, which is now officially called The Witcher 4 and will follow Ciri after a time jump, it’s reasonable to speculate that lessons learned during the development of Phantom Liberty’s skill tree overhaul might influence her future adventures.
While no official details have been confirmed, there are several compelling reasons why the developers might adapt a Phantom Liberty-like skill tree for The Witcher 4 as well. One of the main reasons is Wild Hunt’s skill progression system itself, which wasn’t too nuanced back then. Since Ciri is probably going to have an exotic, enigmatic school of Lynx background, and the studio would likely want to give the fanbase something new, a skill tree similar to Phantom Liberty might be in the books.
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The Witcher 4 Makes Its Core Themes Clear
The Witcher 4’s TGA trailer shows clear-cut themes that put Ciri on a story path following in the footsteps of the one Geralt set before her.
Confirming Ciri as the Protagonist and Emphasizing a Time Jump
The trailer makes it clear that Ciri, who was pivotal in The Witcher 3, is now front and center as the protagonist and the story isn’t taking off right after the events of Wild Hunt either. Therefore, unlike Geralt, whose skill set was fairly stable and well-established, Ciri’s new status as a fully mutated Witcher — complete with cat-like pupils after the use of potions that may give her a School of Lynx background — opens the door for far more granular character development.
Instead of linear skill lines, players had access to perks that dramatically shifted playstyles in Phantom Liberty. For Ciri, who is both a Witcher and a carrier of Elder Blood, this duality could translate into multiple, distinct build paths: swordsmanship, advanced Signs, alchemical prowess, and even some lingering abilities derived from her Elder Blood heritage apparent in the trailer as well. Translating all that into a skill tree is arguably going to be a much simpler and more effective way to enhance the gameplay. So there may be fewer bland percentage boosts and more defining perks that would let players mold Ciri into a Witcher uniquely their own.
A New Witcher School Means New Opportunities
The teased lynx-like medallion around Ciri’s neck suggests a new Witcher school or at least a new lineage of Witchers. This fresh take offers an opportunity to reinvent the approach to training and abilities. Just as Phantom Liberty introduced new skills and revised old ones to match evolving gameplay expectations, The Witcher 4 could define its protagonist’s growth through a skill tree that feels tailor-made for the new school’s ethos and combat style — potentially emphasizing agility, cunning, ambush tactics, or unique Sign and alchemy twists as highlighted in the trailer.
There has to be some sort of update to the skill progression system — it might as well be similar to Phantom Liberty’s or something that grows on top of it.
Player Feedback and Continuous Improvement
CDPR has a decent track record of listening to player feedback. The changes in Phantom Liberty were partially a response to calls for more meaningful progression in Cyberpunk. Given the popularity and longevity of The Witcher 3, the team is undoubtedly aware of what fans want — systems that evolve beyond simple stat boosts and align with thematic role-playing and storyline choices. Implementing Phantom Liberty’s design lessons in The Witcher 4, therefore, would be a natural next step in maintaining goodwill and meeting player expectations.
Lastly, The Witcher’s move from REDengine to Unreal Engine 5 also provides a new technological foundation. This can enable more visually engaging and complex skills and adding them all the more worth it — ones that might be more accessible, clearer, and give players a stronger sense of evolving their character’s abilities.
The Witcher IV is a single-player, open-world RPG from CD PROJEKT RED. At the start of a new saga, players take on the role of Ciri, a professional monster slayer, and embark on a journey through a brutal dark-fantasy world. Powered by Unreal Engine 5, it aims to be the most immersive and ambitious open-world Witcher game to date.