Close to a decade on from the launch of the stellar landmark RPG The Witcher 3, CD Projekt RED has formally unveiled the franchise’s subsequent installment, and understandably sufficient, there’s a whole lot of pleasure surrounding the sport. We don’t but know the way lengthy the watch for The Witcher 4 goes to be, nevertheless it has now been formally unveiled, whereas transient, key particulars about its gameplay and protagonist have additionally began filling out. A lot extra of these can be shared within the coming months and years, after all, however right here, we’re going to spherical up the crucial factors which have been detailed in these early days to this point.
BEGINNING OF A NEW TRILOGY
That is one thing that we’ve recognized about The Witcher 4 since lengthy earlier than its Recreation Awards announcement. Again in 2022, when CD Projekt RED introduced that it had began early manufacturing on the following Witcher title beneath the codename Polaris, the developer confirmed that the sport, each time it got here out, could be the start of a brand new saga for the Witcher collection. Particularly, the studio has one other new trilogy deliberate, so hopefully, we will sit up for some formidable, large-scale storytelling throughout a multi-instalment arc.
CIRI TAKES THE SPOTLIGHT
After The Witcher 3 – and significantly its second growth, Blood and Wine – it grew to become very, very clear that longtime collection protagonist Geralt of Rivia wouldn’t be returning because the protagonist within the collection’ subsequent recreation, no matter that subsequent recreation turned out to be. In fact, after The Witcher 3, the chance of Ciri being the protagonist additionally appeared extremely excessive, and because it seems, that’s precisely the case. In The Witcher 4’s reveal trailer, we noticed Ciri travelling to a village and making an attempt to avoid wasting a younger girl from a ritual sacrifice by combating and killing a harmful monster known as the Bauk. By the way, as revealed by recreation director Sebastian Kalemba within the official breakdown for the reveal trailer, that’s an precise quest within the recreation itself.
HOW CIRI IS DIFFERENT
Ciri is clearly going to be a distinct form of protagonist from Geralt of Rivia, with the latter’s gruff, deadpan, grizzled perspective being well-known to (and beloved by) followers of the franchise. On the identical time, the Ciri that we’ll be enjoying as in Witcher 4 can also be going to be older and extra skilled than what we bear in mind from Witcher 3, so what can we count on from her portrayal? In contrast to the way more skilled Geralt, Ciri goes to be at the start of her profession as a Witcher, which implies she’ll be much less calculating and extra impulsive, whereas curiously sufficient, she’s additionally going to be constructing her personal codex. “The best way she really offers with the monsters, the way in which she offers with quests, the adventures, it’s her personal distinctive means,” Kalemba mentioned in an interview with IGN.
GERALT RETURNS
Ciri is the brand new protagonist for The Witcher going ahead, and can be for no less than three video games, however that doesn’t imply Geralt of Rivia is rarely going to indicate his face once more. No, the White Wolf could technically be retired, however he can be again. His voice actor Doug Cockle let slip earlier this yr that he could be reprising his position as Geralt in The Witcher 4, and that has now formally been confirmed by CDPR. The studio mentioned in an announcement to IGN, “Geralt will seem within the recreation, however we don’t need to spoil his position exactly. You’ll have to attend to be taught extra for now.” In fact, meaning we don’t know how intensive (or not) his position will be- however no less than we all know he received’t be the protagonist. Perhaps we will count on one thing alongside the traces of Marcus Fenix in Gears of Battle post-Gears 3?
CIRI’S MOVESET
The Witcher 4’s cinematic reveal trailer confirmed us no gameplay, although because it seems, it does have bits and items of gameplay info nonetheless. As revealed by the aforementioned recreation director Sebastian Kalemba within the trailer’s breakdown, Ciri – who, as we all know, is a very highly effective Supply – will be capable to attract components from her environment and catalyze them for use as extremely highly effective magical spells. That’s not the one means her fight moveset will differ from Geralt’s both. Along with having the ability to use her two sword, indicators, potions, and what have you ever, Ciri may also be capable to use chains in fight. These chains can be enchanted with magic to make them stronger.
MORE GAMEPLAY VARIETY
An expanded fight moveset for Ciri may point out that The Witcher 4 will present a extra expansive gameplay expertise than its predecessor, and based on CD Projekt RED, that can be exactly the case. The studio is promising extra gameplay selection, alongside the traces of one thing like Cyberpunk 2077, with gamers being given the flexibleness to outline their very own play type. Chatting with IGN, Kalemba mentioned, “[We’re giving] extra instruments for gamers’ disposal, to have the ability to not solely play and go along with the implications narratively, but additionally gameplay-wise. We need to give gamers extra alternatives to have the ability to really feel that they outline their expertise.”
He added: “I consider the gameplay [in Cyberpunk 2077] was extra various [than that in The Witcher 3] and it allowed extra freedom in the case of creating character builds and having the ability to expertise encounters in your individual means.
“That is one thing we positively need to deliver as a lesson [to The Witcher 4]. We need to enhance on [The Witcher 3’s] gameplay but additionally we need to enhance the alignment of the way in which it is possible for you to to discover the world.”
CHOICE AND CONSEQUENCE
The Witcher 3’s stellar choice-and-consequence mechanics have been a giant a part of why it exploded in reputation the way in which it did, and unsurprisingly, that’s a division CDPR is trying to strengthen additional with the following recreation. Kalemba says the aim is to “put participant company on the heart”, and to “let gamers attempt to outline” Ciri and her story. In the meantime, within the recreation’s trailer breakdown, the director additionally reveled that although the trailer ends with the younger girl – whose title is Mioni – dying, within the recreation, she will really survive based mostly in your actions.
TECH DETAILS
Because it was confirmed to be in growth as Polaris a few years in the past, we’ve recognized that The Witcher 4 is being constructed on Unreal Engine 5. At The Recreation Awards, the trailer that was showcased was constructed totally in-engine, and curiously sufficient, was operating on an unannounced Nvidia GeForce RTX GPU- presumably, we will count on that subsequent collection to be introduced by Nvidia quickly sufficient. Moreover, CDPR additionally has additionally confirmed in a press launch that belongings and fashions proven within the trailer are from the sport itself.
WILL MAINTAIN CONTINUITY WILL ALL WITCHER 3 ENDINGS
The Witcher 4 goes to kick off a brand new saga for the collection, star a brand new protagonist, and check out to attract in a good bigger crowd, nevertheless it’s clearly not a clear break. Ciri’s story goes to take The Witcher 3’s occasions under consideration, of course- however how will it cope with the sport’s endings? In spite of everything, one ending particularly entails Ciri dying. Apparently sufficient, nonetheless, talking with IGN, Cian Maher, CDPR’s franchise and lore designer for Witcher, said that “there are hints in that ending that spotlight the truth that she most likely doesn’t die”, and that The Witcher 4 goes to keep up continuity with all Witcher 3 endings, and be sure that it doesn’t “break any canon and even offend any canon”.
IN FULL PRODUCTION
Pre-production on The Witcher 4 began someplace in mid-2022, as we’ve touched on, and earlier this yr, CD Projekt RED revealed that the sport had additionally entered full manufacturing. In fact, meaning it’s nonetheless a methods off from the top of growth. Presumably, CDPR can be focusing on a 2026 or 2027 launch for the sport, although that’s little greater than an informed guess at this level.
