If you watched The Witcher 4’s debut trailer during The Game Awards 2024, you’ll have heard a line of dialogue that sounded very much like it was coming from previous protagonist Geralt: “Time for a new saga. See you on the path.”
While Ciri is confirmed as the main character for The Witcher 4, fans were left wondering whether Geralt would appear in the game, which is set after the events of The Witcher 3.
IGN can confirm that Geralt is indeed in The Witcher 4, and that is indeed the voice of veteran Geralt voice actor Doug Cockle. Confirmation comes from CD Projekt itself, which told IGN: "Geralt will appear in the game, but we don’t want to spoil his role precisely. You’ll have to wait to learn more for now."
So, how can Geralt appear in The Witcher 4 after The witcher 3 left the character in semi-retirement at his vineyard in Toussaint? In an interview with IGN ahead of the reveal of The Witcher 4, CD Projekt franchise and lore designers Cian Maher and Marcin Batylda explained how the already established timeline of events makes it make sense.
“I mean Geralt will probably be around for a long time to the extent that in Season of Storms, the prequel novel that takes place actually before Geralt attends that banquet we mentioned earlier on, there is an epilogue in that book,” Maher explained.
“It takes place in a place called Magpie Forest in 1373, 101 years after The Witcher 3. And in that epilogue there is a certain white-haired witcher hunting a monster who remains unnamed, but who behaves in a certain way and obviously he has white hair. So by which I mean I think we can expect Geralt to be around for a long time. The capacity in which he does is, we'll see, but I don't think he's going anywhere.”
Doug Cockle had insisted The Witcher 4 was a mystery to him. Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage.CD Projekt is keeping its cards close to its chest here, but at least it is now confirmed that Geralt will appear in The Witcher 4. That is itself a fun follow-up to recent comments made by Doug Cockle, who said he “got slapped” by CD Projekt for saying Geralt is in The Witcher 4 but not as the main character before the developer had a chance to make its official announcements.
"I don't actually know if that's true now because they came back and they went, ‘We haven't put anything out there, don't say anything,’ " Cockle said, before adding: “The truth is I can’t answer the question because I’ve signed an NDA. So even if I did know, I’d have to lie to you.”
Indeed!
IGN has loads of exclusive features on The Witcher 4, including Inside The Witcher 4: CD Projekt Red’s Plans For Its Next Big RPG, The Witcher 4: 12 Vital Trailer Details Revealed by CD Projekt Red, and Why CD Projekt Went With Ciri Over Continuing With Geralt as Protagonist.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at [email protected] or confidentially at [email protected].
