Geralt of Rivia, the iconic Witcher, is returning in The Witcher 4, according to voice actor Doug Cockle. However, this time, the spotlight shifts away from the grizzled monster hunter to a new generation of characters.
A New Protagonist Takes Center Stage
While Geralt’s presence is confirmed, his role will be supporting, not central, to the narrative, as Cockle revealed in an interview with Fall Damage. The game's focus will be on a new protagonist, whose identity remains a closely guarded secret. Even Cockle himself admits to being eager to discover who the new lead character will be.
Clues and Speculation
The two-year-old Witcher 4 teaser, showcased using Unreal Engine 5, hints at a potential protagonist. A Cat School medallion, buried in the snow, suggests a survivor of this once-feared order might be the focus. Gwent's lore supports this, hinting at vengeful Cat School remnants.
Another strong contender is Ciri, Geralt's adopted daughter. The Witcher books and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt both subtly allude to her connection to the Cat School.
Whether Ciri takes the lead with Geralt acting as a mentor figure, or Geralt's involvement is limited to flashbacks or cameos, remains to be seen.
Development and Release Date
Game director Sebastian Kalemba, in an interview with Lega Nerd, emphasized The Witcher 4's (codenamed Polaris) goal: to attract new players while satisfying long-time fans. Development, begun in 2023, involves a large team of over 400 developers at CD Projekt Red, making it their largest project to date.
However, this ambitious undertaking, including the development of new Unreal Engine 5 technology, means fans should prepare for a longer wait. CEO Adam Kiciński suggested a release date at least three years out.
