Witcher 4 Boots Geralt from Lead Role According to VA

While Geralt of Rivia will return in The Witcher 4, according to voice actor Doug Cockle, the iconic Witcher won't be the protagonist. This confirms Geralt's presence but signals a major shift in the franchise's focus.

Geralt's Return, But Not as the Lead

A Supporting Role for the White Wolf

In an interview with Fall Damage, Cockle hinted at a new direction for the series. While details remain scarce, he stressed Geralt's supporting role: "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 new protagonist remains a secret. 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 character taking the lead.

Clues from the Teaser and Gwent

A Cat School medallion, featured in the Witcher 4 teaser two years ago, hints at a possible protagonist. While the Cat School was decimated before The Witcher 3, Gwent suggests survivors are still active: "As for those who were not present during the attack? They continue to roam the world’s ends—embittered, hungry for vengeance, with nothing left to lose…"

Another strong contender is Ciri, Geralt's adopted daughter. The Witcher books detail Ciri's acquisition of a Cat medallion, and The Witcher 3 subtly reinforces this by swapping Geralt's Wolf medallion for a Cat medallion when players control Ciri.

Some predict Ciri taking center stage with Geralt as a mentor, similar to Vessemir. Others suggest a more limited role for Geralt, possibly through flashbacks or brief appearances.

The Witcher 4's Development and Release

Game director Sebastian Kalemba, in an interview with Lega Nerd, highlighted the game's aim: to attract new players while satisfying long-time fans. Despite the considerable hype, the release date is still some time away.

Codenamed Polaris, The Witcher 4 began development in 2023. CD Projekt Red's 2023 report revealed that almost half their development team (around 330 developers initially, growing to over 400) worked on the project by October 2023. This makes it the studio's largest project to date, according to Pawel Sasko.

Despite the substantial resources, a lengthy wait is expected. CEO Adam Kiciński indicated in October 2022 that release was at least three years away, due to the game's ambitious scope and the development of new Unreal Engine 5 technology. For release date predictions, see the linked article.