The Witcher 4 Dev Explains How the Team Prepared to Work on the Long-Awaited Title

The Witcher 4's Development: A Ciri-centric Trilogy Begins

CD Projekt Red's approach to developing The Witcher 4 involved a unique strategy: a preparatory quest within The Witcher 3 served as an onboarding experience for new team members. This initiative, coupled with Ciri's ascension to the leading role, sets the stage for a new trilogy focused on the powerful sorceress.

The excitement surrounding The Witcher 4's reveal at The Game Awards 2024 is still fresh, but the game's development quietly began two years prior. The process started with the addition of a special side quest to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, originally released in May 2015. While The Witcher 3 featured Ciri as a playable character in certain segments, the recent trailer confirmed her starring role in the fourth installment.

The "In the Eternal Fire's Shadow" side quest, introduced in late 2022, served multiple purposes. It promoted the game's next-gen update and provided in-game justification for the armor worn by Henry Cavill in the Netflix series. However, according to Philipp Webber, quest designer for The Witcher 3 and narrative director for The Witcher 4, it also played a crucial role in integrating new team members. This side quest acted as their initiation into the Witcher universe before fully immersing themselves in The Witcher 4's development.

A Smooth Transition into The Witcher 4's Development

Webber described the "In the Eternal Fire's Shadow" project as the "perfect start to getting back into the vibe," aligning perfectly with the timeline. The announcement of The Witcher 4, the beginning of a Ciri-centric trilogy, occurred in March 2022, roughly nine months before the side quest's release. While pre-announcement planning undoubtedly existed, this side quest provides insight into the team's practical approach to onboarding new talent.

While Webber didn't name specific individuals, it's plausible that some team members transitioned from the Cyberpunk 2077 team, given its 2020 release. This timeline also fuels speculation about potential similarities between The Witcher 4's skill tree and that of Cyberpunk 2077's Phantom Liberty expansion.