Doug Cockle, the iconic voice of Geralt of Rivia, has responded to criticism surrounding The Witcher 4's focus on Ciri, urging certain franchise fans to "read the books" for better context.
Commenting on the backlash against CD Projekt's upcoming RPG, which for the first time stars Ciri as the protagonist, Cockle stated, "That's just an absurd reaction."
"This isn't about being 'woke,'" Cockle elaborated in a video published by Fall Damage. "There's nothing political about it. Ciri is a compelling character from The Witcher universe, and centering the game around her is fantastic."
Cockle has voiced Geralt across CD Projekt's entire Witcher series and is confirmed to reprise his role as the famed monster hunter in The Witcher 4, though not as the main character.
Despite Geralt’s continued involvement in some capacity, last year’s announcement that his adoptive daughter would lead the next installment—and likely the subsequent Witcher trilogy—drew predictable accusations of the series "going woke" from a vocal minority online.
"We can't just recycle Geralt as the hero for every Witcher game forever," Cockle explained, advocating for his character’s well-deserved break. "His journey reached its conclusion. The 'Blood and Wine' expansion was meant to finalize his story."
"I fully support Ciri stepping into the spotlight. To those calling this 'woke'... [blows raspberry]."
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Cockle further suggested that The Witcher 4's focus on Ciri is deeply rooted in the original book series by Polish fantasy author Andrzej Sapkowski.
"Anyone who has read the books understands why CD Projekt is taking this direction," Cockle noted. "Ciri's storyline offers a wealth of material to explore, which wasn't fully utilized in The Witcher 3 since Geralt's journey was the primary focus. However, her potential was clearly hinted at."
"If you believe this decision is 'woke,' I encourage you to read the books—they're excellent, for one. More importantly, you'll realize it's a natural narrative progression."
CD Projekt's games are loosely set after the events of Sapkowski's novels, though the author has historically distanced his work—including the definitive endings he wrote for his characters—from the video games that continue Geralt's story.
Without revealing potential plot points from the final novel that may inspire The Witcher 4, it's worth noting that Sapkowski, like CD Projekt, always regarded Ciri as a pivotal figure—one perfectly suited to take the lead when Geralt is not at the forefront.
IGN previously discussed Geralt's return in The Witcher 4 with CD Projekt's franchise and lore designers Cian Maher and Marcin Batylda, who clarified how these timeline developments align coherently with established lore.
