News about Witcher 4: Geralt Retires, New Protagonist Emerges

Witcher 4: Geralt Steps Aside, New Protagonist Takes Center Stage While Geralt of Rivia will return in The Witcher 4, according to voice actor Doug Cockle, the iconic Witcher won't be the main character. The next installment shifts focus to new heroes.

Geralt's Return: A Supporting Role

The White Wolf's Story Continues, But Not as the Lead

Though previously believed to be the conclusion of his saga after *The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt*, Geralt's presence in *The Witcher 4* is confirmed by Doug Cockle. However, Cockle clarifies that Geralt's role will be secondary, not central to the plot.

In an interview with Fall Damage, Cockle hinted at a significant narrative shift, emphasizing Geralt's supporting role without revealing specifics. He stated, "Witcher 4 has been announced. I can’t say anything about it. What we know is that Geralt will be part of the game," adding, "And the game won’t focus on Geralt, so it’s not about him this time."

Witcher 4: A New Era Begins The new protagonist remains a mystery. Cockle himself admits, "We don’t know who it’s about. I’m excited to find out. I want to know," fueling speculation about a fresh face leading the charge.

Clues from the past: A Cat School Survivor?

Two years ago, a teaser showcased a Cat School medallion buried in the snow, hinting at a potential protagonist. While the School was decimated before The Witcher 3, Gwent card game lore suggests survivors: "As for those who were not present during the attack? They continue to roam the world’s ends—embittered, hungry for vengeance, with nothing left to lose…"

Witcher 4: Possible Protagonists Another strong contender is Ciri, Geralt's adopted daughter. The Witcher books depict Ciri obtaining a Cat medallion after a significant victory, and The Witcher 3 subtly reinforces this connection by replacing Geralt's Wolf medallion with a Cat medallion when players control Ciri.

Theories range from Ciri taking the lead with Geralt as a mentor, similar to Vessemir's role, to a more limited appearance for Geralt, perhaps through flashbacks or cameos.

The Witcher 4's Development: A Massive Undertaking

Witcher 4: A Multi-Year Project Game director Sebastian Kalemba, in an interview with Lega Nerd, highlighted the game's goal: to attract newcomers while satisfying longtime fans. Despite the excitement, the wait will be considerable.

Codenamed Polaris, The Witcher 4 officially started development in 2023. CD Projekt Red's 2023 earnings report revealed that nearly half their development team (around 330 developers initially, growing to over 400) was dedicated to the project by October 2023. This makes it their largest project to date.

However, CEO Adam Kiciński indicated in October 2022 that the release would be at least three years away, due to the ambitious scope and the development of new Unreal Engine 5 technologies. For release date predictions, see the linked article.