Witcher 4 Boots Geralt from Lead Role According to VA

Voice actor Doug Cockle confirms Geralt of Rivia's return in The Witcher 4, but reveals a significant shift in the narrative focus. While the iconic Witcher will appear, he won't be the protagonist.

Geralt Returns, But Not as the Star

A New Chapter Begins

In an interview with Fall Damage, Cockle hinted at a departure from the established formula, emphasizing Geralt's reduced central role. While specifics remain undisclosed, his involvement will be supplemental to the main storyline. "Witcher 4 has been announced. I can’t say anything about it. What we know is that Geralt will be part of the game," Cockle stated. "We just don’t know how much. And the game won’t focus on Geralt, so it’s not about him this time."

The identity of The Witcher 4's protagonist remains shrouded in mystery. Cockle himself admitted, "We don’t know who it’s about. I’m excited to find out. I want to know," fueling speculation about a fresh lead character.

Intriguingly, a Cat School medallion, featured in a two-year-old Unreal Engine 5 teaser, hints at a potential protagonist. While the Cat School was decimated before The Witcher 3, Gwent card game lore suggests surviving members, described as "embittered, hungry for vengeance, with nothing left to lose…"

Another strong contender is Ciri, Geralt's adopted daughter. Book lore shows Ciri possessing 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 during Ciri's gameplay segments.

While some anticipate Ciri taking the lead with Geralt in a mentor role similar to Vesemir, others suggest a more limited appearance, perhaps through flashbacks or brief cameos.

The Witcher 4's Development: A Long Road Ahead

Game director Sebastian Kalemba, in an interview with Lega Nerd, highlighted the game's dual objective: attracting new fans while satisfying existing ones eager for more of Geralt's story. However, the wait may be considerable.

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

Despite the substantial investment, CEO Adam Kiciński indicated in October 2022 that the release would be at least three years away due to the project's scale and the development of new Unreal Engine 5 technologies. For release date predictions, see the linked article below.