We’ve finally gotten our first proper look at The Witcher 4and while Ciri’s place as the RPG’s protagonist answered a lot of prayers among series fans, there are an equal number wondering how established lore will allow her to be a Witcher. Luckily, it turns out that The Witcher 4 itself will answer that very question.
“Dear, if you’re wondering how Ciri may be on the path as a witcher, well, there’s the story of the Witcher IV to tell that tale,” CD Projekt boss Adam Badowski says on Twitter. “A huge thank you for the respect and love for the lore created by Andrzej Sapkowski. Hugs!”
There are, indeed, a number of lore questions that need to be answered about Ciri taking on the mantle of a Witcher, not the least of which is whether we’re getting a specific Witcher 3 ending canonized. While a tiny detail in the new trailer certainly suggests one ending stands above the others, lore master Cian Maher tells IGN that the new game won’t “break any canon or even offend any canon.”
In that same interview, CDPR also confirms that Ciri has undergone the Trial of the Grasses – something that typically only young boys are able to survive. Given the timeline of The Witcher 3, Ciri would have to be an adult woman by the time she undergoes the trial, making for a doubly low survival rate – or so the arguments from those annoyed about her role in the new game go. But honestly, her Elder Blood powers are probably reason enough to handwave any issue on that front.
“For good and for bad, she wants to become a Witcher,” game director Sebastian Kalemba explains a video breaking down the new trailer. “And the word ‘become’… There is a journey, and I want people to experience this journey.”
