CD Projekt Red has shed light on its decision to make Ciri the protagonist of The Witcher 4, marking a significant shift from Geralt’s storyline. Revealed at The Game Awards 2024 with an exciting debut trailer, The Witcher 4 kicks off a new trilogy set after the events of The Witcher 3.

In an exclusive interview with IGN, executive producer Małgorzata Mitręga explained that Ciri was the natural choice for the new game’s lead.

“It was always about her, starting from Saga when you read it in the books. She’s an amazing, layered character. And of course, as a protagonist we said goodbye to Geralt previously. So this is a continuation. I guess for all of us it’s like she was meant to be. That was always her.”

Mitręga emphasized that Ciri’s character, already beloved by fans of the books and games, offers a fresh perspective while staying true to the series’ spirit. Transitioning from Geralt to Ciri not only honors the narrative arc established in the books but also allows CD Projekt to delve deeper into her untapped potential as a lead character.

Sebastian Kalemba, the game director, elaborated on the opportunities presented by Ciri’s role. As a younger character, she provides a fresh canvas for players to shape her journey, a flexibility not as readily available with Geralt. Kalemba noted that this new direction enables the development team to expand on her individuality and storytelling possibilities.

“She’s actually about to become the Witcher,” Kalemba explained.

“She’s about to actually form her own codex, but on her own terms. The way she actually deals with the monsters, the way she deals with quests, the adventures, it’s her own unique way. And also I think that she gives more room to be able to tell different stories here and there. Of course, we want to give the opportunity for the player to explore more nuance because this is what we do. But she deserves that.”

Despite some anticipated backlash from parts of the fanbase, Mitręga and Kalemba stood by their choice, emphasizing it was a decision years in the making. Kalemba revealed the team began discussing Ciri as the next protagonist nearly a decade ago.

“There was an intention behind this choice,” Kalemba said.

“It was far from roulette. It wasn’t random. I remember we had discussions nine years ago, we were talking about who’s next? The very, very instant answer was Ciri. There are many reasons behind that. We’ve already mentioned a few. But she really deserves a stage and we want players to really experience her story because she has so much to tell, so much to prove. The amount of challenges that are in front of her give us so much amazing energy and fuel to create an epic saga that we had no choice but to go with it. We all felt that this is the way. I believe this is the super right choice.”