Overview of The Witcher 4 Development
- The development team for The Witcher 4 engaged in preparatory work by creating a special quest within The Witcher 3, which served as an introduction for new members.
- Ciri will take center stage in The Witcher 4, initiating a new trilogy featuring her character.
The Witcher 4 is creating a buzz among fans eager for its release. As excitement mounts over the sneak peek given during a recent announcement, it’s noteworthy that the development team has been honing their skills and creativity for this project since early 2021. They implemented a unique quest within The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt to reinvigorate the design process.
Originally launched in May 2015, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt followed Geralt’s journey as he protected his adopted daughter, Ciri, from the enigmatic adversaries of The Wild Hunt. While Ciri served as a playable character at certain points in the game, a newly unveiled trailer during The Game Awards 2024 confirmed her role as the protagonist in the forthcoming installment.
In late 2022, CD Projekt Red introduced the sidequest titled “In the Eternal Fire’s Shadow”in The Witcher 3. This addition not only coincided with the next-gen update of the game but also provided players with an authentic reason to enhance Geralt’s armor—previously donned by Henry Cavill in Netflix’s adaptation of The Witcher. In a recent social media update, Philipp Weber, who has shifted from quest designer for The Witcher 3 to narrative director for The Witcher 4, noted that this quest served as a vital onboarding experience for new team members and facilitated their transition into the development process.
Late The Witcher 3 Quest: A Launchpad for The Witcher 4
2 years ago we released a new quest for The Witcher 3. New designers and writers worked on it preparing for the Witcher 4, together with one of our most senior quest designers, who is with us since the Witcher 1. All in all, it was the perfect start to getting back into the vibe. pic.twitter.com/VCpQ5UpLjZ — Philipp Weber (@PhiWeber) January 8, 2025
Webber elaborated on the significance of the “In the Eternal Fire’s Shadow”quest as a stepping stone for new developers, stating it “was the perfect start to getting back into the vibe.”This timeline aligns closely with the early stages of The Witcher 4‘s development, which was officially announced in March 2022—approximately nine months prior to the rollout of the aforementioned sidequest.
While the narrative director did not disclose specifics about the new team members involved in developing the sidequest, it is speculated that some may have transitioned from the Cyberpunk 2077 crew, following its release in 2020. Additionally, there are whispers that The Witcher 4 might incorporate a skill tree reminiscent of that seen in Phantom Liberty, adding an exciting layer to gameplay as the new team members might contribute fresh ideas in that direction.
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