Geralt Actor Dismisses 'Woke' Claims About Ciri in The Witcher 4

Doug Cockle, the acclaimed voice actor behind Geralt of Rivia in *The Witcher* series, has responded strongly to backlash surrounding *The Witcher 4*’s decision to center on Ciri as the main protagonist. In a recent interview with Fall Damage, Cockle dismissed criticism that the move was an example of “woke” storytelling, urging detractors to “read the damn books.”

“That's just stupid,” Cockle said when addressing the controversy sparked by fans upset over the shift from Geralt to Ciri. “It's not woke. There's nothing woke about it. [Ciri] is a cool character from *The Witcher*, and they're going to focus on that character—and that’s awesome.”

Cockle, who has voiced Geralt across all of CD Projekt’s previous *Witcher* games, confirmed he will reprise his role in *The Witcher 4*, though not as the central figure. While Geralt remains part of the narrative, the announcement that Ciri would take the lead role—marking her first time as protagonist—led to vocal resistance from a minority of fans.

“We can’t just have Geralt for every single game for *The Witcher* ad nauseam, out through eternity,” Cockle explained. “We've seen the end of Geralt's journey. *Blood and Wine* was supposed to wrap up that journey. I celebrate Ciri. I celebrate her being the protagonist. So all you people who think it's woke… [blows raspberry].”

Why Ciri Makes Sense for The Witcher IV

Cockle emphasized that the creative direction for *The Witcher 4* is deeply rooted in Andrzej Sapkowski’s original novel series. He encouraged critics to explore the literary source material to better understand the decision.

“If you read the books, then you understand why CD Projekt went down this avenue,” Cockle said. “There's a whole rich world of stuff to explore with Ciri that wasn't fully developed when they put her into *Witcher 3*, because the story at that point was about Geralt. But she hints at it.”

He added, “If you think it's woke, read the damn books—they’re good, first of all. And secondly, you won't think it's so woke anymore.”

While CD Projekt’s games are set after the events of Sapkowski’s novels, the author himself has acknowledged Ciri as a powerful and essential figure within the lore. Her rise to prominence in *The Witcher 4* aligns with both the expanded universe and the natural evolution of the franchise.

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IGN previously spoke with CD Projekt’s franchise and lore designers, Cian Maher and Marcin Batylda, about Geralt’s continued presence in *The Witcher 4*. They clarified how the game’s timeline connects with previous entries, ensuring continuity while allowing room for new stories centered around Ciri.