Geralt of Rivia's return in The Witcher 4 has been confirmed by voice actor Doug Cockle, but his role will be significantly different this time. While the iconic Witcher will feature, the narrative focus shifts to new protagonists.
Geralt's Supporting Role in The Witcher 4
A New Chapter, A New Lead
Though Geralt's presence is confirmed, Cockle clarified in an interview with Fall Damage that the game won't center around him. He stated, "Witcher 4 has been announced...Geralt will be part of the game...but the game won’t focus on Geralt, so it’s not about him this time." The exact extent of his involvement remains undisclosed.
The mystery surrounding the new protagonist fuels speculation. A Cat School medallion, visible in a previous Unreal Engine 5 teaser, hints at a potential connection to the decimated Cat School. Gwent card game lore suggests surviving members, bitter and vengeful, could be central to the story.
Another strong contender is Ciri, Geralt's adopted daughter. Her possession of a Cat medallion in the books, and the subtle in-game substitution of a Cat medallion for Geralt's Wolf medallion when players control Ciri in The Witcher 3, adds weight to this theory. Whether Ciri takes the lead, with Geralt acting as a mentor figure, or his role is more limited to flashbacks or cameos, remains to be seen.
The Witcher 4's Development and Release
Game director Sebastian Kalemba, in an interview with Lega Nerd, highlighted the game's dual objective: attracting new players while satisfying long-time fans. The Witcher 4, codenamed Polaris, commenced development in 2023, and by October of that year, nearly half of CD Projekt Red's development team (around 330 developers) were dedicated to the project. This number has since increased to over 400, making it the studio's largest undertaking.
Despite the considerable resources invested, CEO Adam Kiciński's October 2022 statement suggests a release date at least three years out, given the ambitious scope and the development of new Unreal Engine 5 technologies.
