The Witcher 4 devs address backlash following Ciri’s reveal as main character

The Witcher 4 devs have addressed the controversy surrounding Ciri’s leading role and first look at the 2024 Game Awards.

The Witcher 4 was finally unveiled with it’s first trailer at the 2024 Game Awards, wherein it was confirmed that Ciri would be the main protagonist for the upcoming title, albeit with a new voice actor.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt was released over 10 years ago, meaning fans of the beloved franchise have been eagerly anticipating news and updates regarding the next series entry. 

However, immediately following the news, huge backlash permeated the internet, with gamers slamming the decision and in some cases, sexist remarks were thrown around regarding Ciri’s new design.

In a new interview with Eurogamer, game director Sebastian Kalemba and narrative director Philipp Weber responded to the early criticism CD Projekt Red has received and addressed the controversy surrounding Ciri’s role and look in The Witcher 4.

The Witcher 4 devs discuss criticism of Ciri being the lead

“I think there’s many very valid worries and responses, because I think a lot of them come out of passion, and I think a lot of those questions are also questions that we asked ourselves,” began Weber.

The narrative director then asserted that the dev team are “beholden to the lore” and the “canon of the books” created by Andrzej Sapkowski. Adding that they “really want to respect that.”

He further noted how they are not “suddenly making up stuff just because we want to. We really want to take these things seriously.”

He wrapped up the conversation by adding, “I think the best answer for us, for those people that really are worried right now, is basically to show them, when we are ready, that we really do this well and with care. And I hope we can then convince them with the game itself. Actions speak louder than words.”

The Witcher fanbase has grown in recent years thanks to the success of The Witcher 3 and the Netflix series, wherein Superman actor Henry Cavill took on the role of Geralt of Rivia.

While he has since stepped away from the project, the fourth and final season of the show is currently in development with Liam Hemsworth taking over as Geralt.

Backlash aside, The Witcher 4 will still include certain aspects of previous entries that fans loved, such as Gwent, and Geralt will still be included in the game in some capacity.