The Game Awards delivered on its promise of big surprises with a nearly six minute first look trailer for CD Projekt Red’s The Witcher IV. Fans not only got their first look at the new Unreal Engine-powered Witcher 4 but also learned a host of huge details regarding the new game, including the fact that franchise favorite Ciri will be the lead character in this standalone Witcher story. CD Projekt Red was even nice enough to share even more details about the game, and we’re breaking own everything we know and all we’ve learned right here in one place.
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Yes, It Is Ciri
The first element that stood out from the trailer was the actual Witcher of the game, and from first glance it appeared to be someone who looked incredibly similar to Ciri. There was some doubt though, as no one wanted to exactly jump the gun and say it was officially Ciri, but CD Projekt Red has confirmed that it is Ciri, saying that this “marks the beginning of a new Witcher saga with Ciri stepping into the role of the protagonist”, and she will be at the heart of this new chapter and story.
“We’re kicking off a brand-new Witcher saga, this time with Ciri as the heart of the story!” said Sebastian Kalemba, Game Director. “It feels so good to finally be able to say those words — for the longest time we knew that we wanted Ciri to be the protagonist of The Witcher IV; it just felt natural to us and we believe that Ciri deserves it. In this game we want to explore what it means to truly become a Witcher by following Ciri on her Path. This trailer is a taste of both that, and just how dark and grounded the world of The Witcher can be.”
As seen in the trailer, Ciri takes on a contract in a remote village, and this village has been terrorized for generations by a monster that has been demanding human sacrifices. Witchers are still held at arms length by many in this world, which you can also see reflected in the trailer, but that doesn’t stop Ciri, who intervenes on a young girls behalf after the village starts to prepare her to be the latest sacrifice to this ancient evil. Ciri goes after the beast and attempts to save the girl and give her a chance at life, but all Witcher tales walk the line ever so carefully between hope and tragedy, and this will likely be no different.
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An Epic Fight
Later in the trailer we get an up-close look at the battle between Ciri and the tormenting creature, giving us a look at Ciri’s impressive new abilities. Ciri’s always been good with a sword, but she also has to call upon some signs and a handy potion to even the odds, with the latter being something she picked up from her time with Geralt and the other Witchers of Kaer Morhen. Ciri ultimately slays the beast with a devastating magical chain combination, though this is just a taste of things to come.
The Main Ending
The Witcher IV also cements one of the endings of The Witcher 3 and makes it the standard ending moving forward. While there are several key moments in The Witcher 3 that dictate Ciri’s ultimate fate in the game, and no, she’s not an Emperess here so that one is officially out of the running. What many consider to be the main ending of The Witcher 3 involves bypassing certain meetings between Ciri and Emhyr and heading straight to Velen in later portions of the game, and this leads to Ciri becoming a Witcher.
In The Witcher 3 you have several chances to gain positive points in regards to Ciri’s end goal, and some aren’t as clear as others. Allowing her to take some time to process things and grief those she’s lost though is the best strategy, and if you were able to attain at least 3 points in this regard, you’ll have your shot at Ciri becoming a Witcher, which is an ending many fans were delighted by, especially in regards to where it leaves Ciri and Geralt.
Speaking of Geralt, his ending is determined greatly by who he romanced with along the way. If Geralt romanced Triss, he retires from being an active Witcher, and if you romanced Yennefer, he elopes with her and also steps away from the Witchering world. You can also just remain a Witcher, but we are likely to learn more about his fate in The Witcher IV as well. Here’s the official description of The Witcher IV.
“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 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.”
Alright, that’s all we know, so far, and the anxious wait for The Witcher IV now begins.
You can talk all things Witcher IV with me on Threads @mattaguilarcb and on Bluesky @knightofoa!
