Devs Address Ciri Controversy in Witcher 4

The developers behind *The Witcher 4* have recently addressed the swirling controversy surrounding the decision to make Ciri the protagonist, while also leaving fans in suspense about whether current-gen consoles can handle the game. Dive into the latest developments and insights shared by the team.

Insights into The Witcher 4's Development

Addressing the Ciri Protagonist Controversy

In an interview with VGC on December 18, The Witcher 4's narrative director, Phillipp Weber, openly discussed the contentious choice of featuring Ciri as the lead character. The primary concern among fans is the shift away from Geralt, who has been the protagonist in the previous three games. Weber acknowledged these concerns, stating, "I think we definitely knew it could be controversial for some people because of course, in the previous three Witcher games Geralt was the protagonist and I think everyone really loved playing as Geralt."

Despite his own fondness for Geralt, Weber believes in the potential of Ciri as a protagonist. "The best thing that we can do, and I think this is really our goal, is to prove that with Ciri, we can do a lot of interesting things so we can really make it worth it because this decision to have Ciri as a protagonist wasn’t made yesterday, we started making this a very long time ago," he elaborated.

Weber justified the decision by highlighting Ciri's established role in the novels and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, describing it as a "natural evolution" of their long-term storytelling. This choice also opens up new narrative possibilities within the Witcher universe and further explores Ciri's character arc following the events of the last game.

Executive producer Małgorzata Mitręga reassured fans during the same interview that the game's release would provide clarity on the fates of Geralt and other characters. "Everyone has the right to have an opinion, and we do believe it comes from the passion for our games and I think the best answer for that will be the game itself when the game is released."

Additionally, fans can rest easy knowing that Geralt will still make an appearance in The Witcher 4, albeit in a more minor role. This was confirmed by Geralt's voice actor in August 2024, allowing room for new and returning characters. For more details on this, feel free to check out our dedicated article.

For the latest updates and more information, don't forget to visit our comprehensive The Witcher 4 article.

Uncertainty Surrounding Technical Specifications

In a separate interview with Eurogamer on December 18, Phillipp Weber and The Witcher 4's director, Sebastian Kalemba, discussed the game's technical aspects but remained vague about whether current-gen consoles can run it. Kalemba mentioned the collaboration with Epic's engineers on a new engine, specifically Unreal Engine 5 and a custom build. "Yes, we are working on a new engine right now, together with Epic's engineers, and there is a great synergy and a great collaboration between us," Kalemba noted. "And currently we're working on Unreal Engine 5 and our custom build. And obviously, we want to support all the platforms - meaning PC, Xbox, and Sony, right? - but I cannot, right now, tell you more specifics regarding that."

Kalemba hinted that the reveal trailer serves as a "good benchmark" for the game's visual ambitions, though it may not reflect the final product. This suggests that while the trailer shown at the recent Game Awards sets a high bar, the actual gameplay might be adjusted to fit various platforms.

A New Development Approach

In an interview with Eurogamer on November 29, CDPR's vice president of technology, Charles Tremblay, revealed a shift in their development strategy for The Witcher 4. This change aims to prevent a repeat of the issues faced during Cyberpunk 2077's launch. The new approach involves developing the game on hardware with the "lowest" specifications, such as consoles, to ensure smooth performance across different platforms. Tremblay also indicated that the game is likely to launch simultaneously on PC and consoles, though the specific consoles remain undisclosed.

Despite the uncertainty about supported platforms, the developers are committed to ensuring The Witcher 4 runs well on both low-spec consoles and high-end PCs, promising a broad accessibility for fans across various gaming setups.