The first Witcher 4 trailer introduces a new Witcher

CD Projekt Red has unveiled its first look at The Witcher 4, with a six-minute trailer that premiered during the Video Game Awards.

The Witcher 4 has instantly become one of the most anticipated upcoming games, marking the first new chapter in The Witcher saga in nearly a decade. It faces high expectations since 2015’s The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt claimed the Game of the Year award at that year’s VGAs.

The announcement of The Witcher 4 also came with a surprising reveal: players will not be taking on the role of Geralt of Rivia. Instead, they’ll play as Ciri, who has become a Witcher in her own right. This follows the events of The Witcher 3, where much of the story is centered around Geralt protecting her from an apocalyptic force known as The Wild Hunt.

Six minutes in the world of The Witcher

Ciri shows off her monster-hunting bonafides

The new Witcher 4 trailer uses a custom build of Unreal Engine 5 to show off Ciri as the game’s new protaganist. The trailer opens with a young woman being prepared to be sacrificed to a monster known as the Bauk. Luckily, Ciri shows up just in time before the bird-headed monster with too many limbs can devour the sacrifice.

Of course, in typical Witcher fashion, even after defeating the monster, Ciri is left disappointed in the humans she’s protecting when she discovers that the young woman she saved was sacrificed anyway.

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A new beginning for The Witcher franchise

A focus on Ciri preserves The Witcher 3’s ending

The Witcher 4 marks a bold departure from the trilogy that made Geralt of Rivia a household name. The game’s announcement trailer revealed an older and more battle-hardened Ciri. Set some time after the events of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, The Witcher 4 will explore Ciri’s next chapter as she confronts new challenges, ancient enemies, and, of course, her ever-present connection to the Elder Blood.

Players did spend some time controlling Ciri in The Witcher 3 in flashback sequences, so this shouldn’t be that unexpected of a turn for fans of the series. Her unique abilities, such as her ability to teleport while playing as her in The Witcher 3, will allow CD Projekt Red to further evolve the RPG gameplay that’s helped make the series such a success.

Leaving Geralt out of the new game also preserves his happy ending in the previous game. There are three possible endings to The Witcher 3, with both Ciri and Geralt dying in one, and the other two seeing Geralt retire to an estate to live out his days with one of the female characters who serves as his love interest in the game. Playing as Ciri means we can all keep imagining Geralt enjoying his retirement.

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Hopefully, this isn’t an Elder Scrolls 6 situation

The new trailer for The Witcher 4 is a cinematic scene showcasing some of Ciri’s abilities that highlight her potential as a strong protagonist for the new game. Unfortunately, the trailer doesn’t provide any details on what players can expect during gameplay. This is likely because the game is still in the early stages of development, with CD Projekt Red only recently confirming that the game is in active development. This situation is reminiscent of Bethesda’s 2018 Elder Scrolls VI reveal trailer, a game that still seems years away from release.

Adding to the anticipation is the shadow of CD Projekt Red’s troubled launch of its last major project: Cyberpunk 2077. The company will undoubtedly be keen to avoid a repeat of that experience and address the criticisms around releasing an unfinished game. So, while you might not be playing as Ciri in 2025, you can be confident that the company is committed to delivering a polished, bug-free experience for the next entry in their flagship franchise when it finally launches.