Geralt of Rivia's return in The Witcher 4 has been confirmed by voice actor Doug Cockle. However, this doesn't mean he'll be the protagonist. The game will focus on new characters, with Geralt playing a supporting role.
Geralt's Role in The Witcher 4: A Supporting Character
A Shift in Focus
While the iconic White Wolf is back, Cockle clarified in an interview with Fall Damage that Geralt won't be the central figure this time. He stated, "Witcher 4 has been announced...Geralt will be part of the game...the game won’t focus on Geralt, so it’s not about him this time." The extent of his involvement remains undisclosed.
The new protagonist's identity is a closely guarded secret, even from Cockle himself, who admitted, "We don’t know who it’s about. I’m excited to find out. I want to know."
Speculation and Clues
A Cat School medallion, visible in a previous Unreal Engine 5 teaser, fuels speculation about a potential Cat School Witcher as the protagonist. Gwent card game lore suggests surviving members of the order, bitter and vengeful, are still active.
Another strong contender is Ciri, Geralt's adopted daughter. Her possession of a Cat medallion in the books, and the game's subtle use of a Cat medallion in place of Geralt's Wolf medallion during Ciri's gameplay segments in The Witcher 3, adds weight to this theory. Her role could range from a central protagonist to a more limited appearance.
The Witcher 4's Development: A Large-Scale Undertaking
Game director Sebastian Kalemba, in an interview with Lega Nerd, highlighted the game's aim: to attract new players while satisfying long-time fans. However, the development is extensive.
Codenamed Polaris, The Witcher 4 began development in 2023. CD Projekt Red's 2023 earnings report reveals that nearly half of their development team (over 400 developers) was dedicated to the project by late 2023, making it their largest undertaking. Despite this, CEO Adam Kiciński suggested in October 2022 that the release date is at least three years out, due to the ambitious scope and the development of new Unreal Engine 5 technologies.
