Witcher 4 Ciri Controversy Addressed by Devs

CD Projekt Red addresses the controversy surrounding Ciri's role as the protagonist in The Witcher 4, while remaining tight-lipped about current-gen console compatibility. Read on for the latest updates.

Witcher 4 Devs Share Insights into Development

Addressing the Ciri Controversy

In a December 18th interview with VGC, narrative director Phillipp Weber acknowledged the potential controversy of making Ciri the protagonist, a departure from the Geralt-centric previous games. He admitted, "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."

While acknowledging fans' attachment to Geralt as a legitimate concern, Weber defended the decision, stating, "The best thing that we can do...is to prove that with Ciri, we can do a lot of interesting things...this decision to have Ciri as a protagonist wasn’t made yesterday, we started making this a very long time ago." He emphasized that Ciri's established role as a secondary protagonist in the novels and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt made this a natural progression. This choice, he argued, allows for fresh exploration of the Witcher universe and Ciri's character arc.

Executive producer Małgorzata Mitręga added, "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," hinting at explanations regarding Geralt's fate and other characters' storylines post-The Witcher 3.

However, Geralt isn't entirely absent. His voice actor revealed in August 2024 that he will appear, albeit in a supporting role, alongside new and returning characters. (See our previous article for details!) You can also find more information and updates in our comprehensive Witcher 4 article.

Uncertainties Remain Regarding Technical Specifications

In a separate December 18th interview with Eurogamer, director Sebastian Kalemba and Phillipp Weber discussed current-gen console compatibility, but offered no specifics. Kalemba confirmed, "Yes, we are working on a new engine right now, together with Epic's engineers...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."

He suggested the reveal trailer serves as a "good benchmark" for their visual goals, implying it's not a perfect representation of the final game's graphics, but a reasonable approximation of what players can expect.

A New Development Approach

In a November 29th Eurogamer interview, CDPR's vice president of technology, Charles Tremblay, detailed a revised development strategy for The Witcher 4, aiming to avoid a repeat of Cyberpunk 2077's troubled launch. This involves developing on lower-spec hardware (consoles) to ensure cross-platform compatibility. Simultaneous PC and console release is likely, though supported platforms remain unconfirmed.

While the developers remain cautious about specifying supported platforms, they assure fans that they're working to optimize The Witcher 4 for both low-spec consoles and high-end PCs.