Witcher 4 Boots Geralt from Lead Role According to VA

Geralt of Rivia, the iconic Witcher, is returning in The Witcher 4, according to voice actor Doug Cockle. However, while the White Wolf will make an appearance, the game's focus will shift to a new protagonist.

Geralt's Return: A Supporting Role in The Witcher 4

A New Chapter, A New Hero

Despite previous suggestions that *The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt* concluded Geralt's story, his voice actor, Doug Cockle, confirmed his presence in the upcoming sequel. However, Cockle clarified that Geralt won't be the central figure this time. In an interview with Fall Damage, he hinted at a significant narrative shift, stating that Geralt's role will be more supportive than leading. "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 said. "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 mystery. Even Cockle admitted, "We don’t know who it’s about. I’m excited to find out. I want to know," fueling speculation about a fresh face taking the lead.

Intriguingly, the Witcher 4 teaser from two years ago, showcased during an Unreal Engine 5 presentation, featured a Cat School medallion buried in the snow. While the School of the Cat was decimated long before The Witcher 3, Gwent: The Witcher Card Game suggests survivors still exist, hinting at a potential connection. The game’s seasonal tree states: "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 for the lead role is Ciri, Geralt's adopted daughter. Evidence supporting this theory comes from the Witcher books, where Ciri obtains a Cat medallion, and The Witcher 3, which subtly replaces Geralt's Wolf medallion with a Cat medallion when players control Ciri. Whether Ciri takes center stage with Geralt acting as a mentor, or his involvement is limited to flashbacks or cameos, remains to be seen.

The Witcher 4's Development: A Massive Undertaking

In an interview with Lega Nerd, The Witcher 4's game director, Sebastian Kalemba, highlighted the game's goal: to attract new players while satisfying longtime fans. While excitement is high, the release date is still some time off.

Codenamed Polaris, The Witcher 4 officially began development in 2023. CD Projekt Red's 2023 earnings report revealed that nearly half their development team (around 330 developers) was dedicated to the project by October 2023, following the release of Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty. This number has since grown to over 400, making it CD Projekt Red's largest project to date, according to Pawel Sasko, associate game director for Cyberpunk 2077's sequel.

Despite the significant investment, CEO Adam Kiciński indicated in October 2022 that the game's release would be at least three years away, due to the ambitious scope and the development of new technology within Unreal Engine 5. For release date predictions, check out the article below!