Witcher 4 Devs Dive into Pre-Production Process

A Witcher 4 Genesis: How a Witcher 3 Side Quest Prepared the Team

The development of The Witcher 4, featuring Ciri in the lead role for a new trilogy, began surprisingly with a seemingly unrelated quest in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. This revelation comes from Philipp Webber, narrative director for Witcher 4 and former quest designer for Witcher 3.

Two years prior to The Witcher 4's announcement, the "In the Eternal Fire's Shadow" side quest was added to Witcher 3. While ostensibly promoting the game's next-gen update and providing in-game justification for Henry Cavill's Netflix armor, Webber reveals its true purpose: onboarding new team members. This quest served as an initiation, immersing them in the Witcher world and setting the tone for Witcher 4's development.

Webber describes this approach as "the perfect start to getting back into the vibe," aligning neatly with the March 2022 announcement of The Witcher 4, approximately nine months before the side quest's release. While pre-announcement planning undoubtedly existed, this side quest offers insight into the team's practical approach to integrating new talent.

While Webber doesn't name specific individuals, it's speculated that some team members may have transferred from the Cyberpunk 2077 team, following its 2020 release. This timeline also fuels speculation regarding potential similarities between The Witcher 4's skill tree and Cyberpunk 2077's Phantom Liberty expansion.

In short, the seemingly minor "In the Eternal Fire's Shadow" side quest played a pivotal role in shaping the team and setting the stage for Ciri's solo adventure in The Witcher 4.