How did Ciri end up the star of The Witcher 4? CD Projekt head says, "well, there's the story of The Witcher 4 to tell that tale"

The Witcher 4 screenshot showing the stunning Unreal Engine 5 fidelity
(Image credit: CD Projekt RED)

We've finally gotten our first proper look at The Witcher 4, and 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 in a video breaking down the new trailer. "And the word 'become'... There is a journey, and I want people to experience this journey."

Geralt will return in The Witcher 4, confirms CD Projekt Red - and yes, that's his voice you hear at the end of the RPG's new trailer.

Dustin Bailey
Staff Writer

Dustin Bailey joined the GamesRadar team as a Staff Writer in May 2022, and is currently based in Missouri. He's been covering games (with occasional dalliances in the worlds of anime and pro wrestling) since 2015, first as a freelancer, then as a news writer at PCGamesN for nearly five years. His love for games was sparked somewhere between Metal Gear Solid 2 and Knights of the Old Republic, and these days you can usually find him splitting his entertainment time between retro gaming, the latest big action-adventure title, or a long haul in American Truck Simulator.