Witcher 4's Development: A Ciri-centric Trilogy Begins
CD Projekt Red's narrative director, Philipp Webber, recently shed light on the team's preparation for The Witcher 4, revealing a unique approach to onboarding new members. Before diving into the development of Ciri's solo adventure, the team engaged in a special quest for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. This served as a crucial initiation process for newer team members, setting the tone and immersing them in the world before tackling the ambitious Witcher 4 project.
The Witcher 3, initially released in May 2015, featured Ciri as a playable character in certain segments. However, The Witcher 4, unveiled at The Game Awards 2024, places Ciri firmly in the leading role, marking the start of a new trilogy focused on her adventures.
The pivotal quest, "In the Eternal Fire's Shadow," added to The Witcher 3 in late 2022, served a dual purpose. It promoted the game's next-gen update while providing in-game justification for the armor worn by Henry Cavill in the Netflix series. Webber confirmed this quest's role as an onboarding experience for new designers and writers, allowing them to acclimate to the Witcher universe before commencing work on The Witcher 4.
A Smooth Transition into Witcher 4's Development
Webber described the quest as "the perfect start to getting back into the vibe," aligning neatly with The Witcher 4's development timeline. Announced in March 2022, the game's development likely commenced before the official announcement. The "In the Eternal Fire's Shadow" quest, released nine months later, provided a practical method for integrating new team members into the established workflow.
While Webber didn't name the individuals who participated in this unique initiation, speculation points towards some members transitioning from the Cyberpunk 2077 team, released in 2020. This, coupled with rumors of a Phantom Liberty-style skill tree in The Witcher 4, adds intrigue to the development process and the potential influence of these new team members.
