summation
- The Witcher 4 felt a bit underwhelming with Ciri being the main character, but that's what the developers expected.
- Narratvie leader Phillip Weber said CD Projekt Red knew the change “could be controversial” but would work to make Ciri a worthy protagonist.
The Witcher 4 is currently in development and will feature Ciri as the main character. Minor details about the game, such as map size, have been revealed, but this is pretty much all we know about the game's plot so far, and the vast majority of Witcher fans have seen it.
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The Witcher 4 needs to stay true to Ciri's queerness.
I hope CD Projekt Red's upcoming sequel explores Ciri's identity as a bisexual woman.
Ciri has been considered a secondary protagonist by writer Andrej Sapkowski for quite some time, and in The Witcher 3's widely accepted canon ending, Ciri is on the path to becoming a Witcher. She was seen by many as a natural replacement for Geralt, but there is a subsection of fans who are upset by her inclusion as a main character in The Witcher 4.
CD Projekt Red also appears to have been aware that pushback could occur, as narrative director Phillip Weber explained in a recent interview with VGC.
The Witcher 4 cast deals with negative reactions towards its protagonist, Ciri.
“I think we definitely know that this might be controversial for some people, because of course in the previous three Witcher games Geralt was the main character and everyone really loved playing as Geralt,” Weber says. “I really enjoyed playing as Geralt, so I think that’s a valid concern if some people think they prefer Geralt right now. So if that’s where that concern comes from, then it’s valid.”
We all know that the best way to cut through that kind of noise is to silence those doubts with action. Weber says “a lot of interesting things” could be done to make Ciri worthy of the game's protagonist. Hen then emphasizes that the decision to make Ciri the protagonist of The Witcher 4 was not a whim and was made “a very long time ago.”
Of course, it's worth pointing out that Ciri has always made a lot of noise from certain crowds simply due to the fact that she's a woman. Controversy over her appearance quickly surfaced on social media following the reveal, as did claims that The Witcher is now awake and Ciri is ugly. Thankfully, the more mundane among us are thrilled that we'll be getting another Witcher game in the near future.
The Witcher IV is a single-player open world RPG from CD PROJEKT RED. As the new story begins, players take on the role of Ciri, a professional monster slayer who embarks on a journey into a cruel, dark fantasy world. Powered by Unreal Engine 5, the game aims to be the most immersive and ambitious open-world Witcher game to date.
