The Witcher 4 devs hint at Ciri's morality and those delicious RPG story branches: "The situation that may happen after the trailer is over is such a tough choice"

The Witcher 4
(Image credit: CD Projekt Red)

As part of a new behind-the-scenes dive into The Witcher 4's reveal trailer, developer CD Projekt Red discussed its approach to the game's branching story moments and how new protagonist Ciri will navigate choices.

The Witcher 4 – Cinematic Reveal Trailer – Behind the scenes - YouTube The Witcher 4 – Cinematic Reveal Trailer – Behind the scenes - YouTube
Watch On

"The ambiguity of the whole story itself, I think, plays very much to the way Sapkowski was crafting his Witcher stories," says director Tomek Suwalski of Platige Image, an animation studio that worked on the reveal trailer. "It's also very in our Eastern European mentality that there's shades of gray everywhere, not clear choices, and the famous lesser evil."

CDPR is of a similar mind, and looks beyond the trailer to The Witcher 4 itself. "This trailer is an adaptation of the story that we actually want to tell in the game," says narrative director Phillipp Weber. "We're not going to give you a black or white situation. We expect you to consider some situations, make some tough choices, and as an example, the situation that may happen after the trailer is over is such a tough choice."

As a refresher, the trailer depicts Ciri rescuing a woman from a sacrificial role foisted upon her by superstitious villagers. Even the woman herself recognizes the folly of the tradition, but she attempts to go through with it anyway out of duty and due to social pressure, only for Ciri to slay the monster that would've been waiting at the end – likely her end.

I'd imagine the "tough choice" Weber is hinting at here involves Ciri's treatment of the villagers and where her actions leave this woman and her father, who seemed to oppose his daughter's involvement. Do you admonish them? Threaten them? Seek some kind of vengeance? How would any of this affect the quality of life of the biggest victim here? This is just a trailer and it's already a tough choice. How closely the in-game quest mirrors this trailer remains to be seen, but the root balance of humanity and literal monsters feels like the kind of material The Witcher excels at.

The Witcher 4 devs say Ciri's actions in the RPG's reveal trailer are "different than what Geralt would do."

Austin Wood
Senior writer

Austin has been a game journalist for 12 years, having freelanced for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, IGN, Sports Illustrated, and more while finishing his journalism degree. He's been with GamesRadar+ since 2019. They've yet to realize his position is a cover for his career-spanning Destiny column, and he's kept the ruse going with a lot of news and the occasional feature, all while playing as many roguelikes as possible.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

Read more
Ciri seen in the cinematic reveal trailer for The Witcher 4, out of breath from a fight.
The Witcher 4 devs say Ciri's actions in the RPG's reveal trailer are "different than what Geralt would do"
The Witcher 4 screenshot with Ciri using sword and sorcery to fight an ancient monster
The Witcher 4 devs explain how Ciri's fighting style will differ from Geralt's: "He's nimble, but he feels like a block...she's liquid"
The Witcher 4 screenshot showing the stunning Unreal Engine 5 fidelity
The Witcher 4 director refutes claims that Ciri's appearance has changed since the reveal trailer: "We have not modified it"
The Witcher 4 screenshot showing Ciri getting ready for action in a dank cave
The Witcher 4: Everything we know so far
The Witcher 4
The Witcher 4 NPCs will offer a "more immersive experience" than other CD Projekt games: "We are trying to push the bar here"
The Witcher 4 Ciri
The Witcher 4 focusing on Ciri has Geralt's voice actor "really excited" for the upcoming RPG, "mostly because of things that happen in the books"
Latest in The Witcher
The Witcher 4 screenshot with Ciri using sword and sorcery to fight an ancient monster
The Witcher 4 and Naughty Dog's Intergalactic are reportedly skipping 2026 and won't be ready until at least the year after
The Witcher 4 screenshot with Ciri using sword and sorcery to fight an ancient monster
CD Projekt boss says "cutting-edge single-player games" – you know, like The Witcher 4 and Cyberpunk 2 – will "continue to enjoy great popularity" despite industry shifts
Cyberpunk 2077
Despite releasing exactly zero new games, CD Projekt bagged $120 million in profit for 2024 – the Witcher and Cyberpunk studio's third-best result ever
The Witcher 4 cinematic screenshot showing a closeup of Ciri, protagonist of the new adventure
"We slept under our desks and lived in chaos": Before the Witcher 3 became an RPG phenomenon, CDPR's CEOs had a tough time making the original game
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 studio CD Projekt Red won't make survival games just because they're popular, but Netflix's Edgerunners anime is fueling dreams bigger than RPGs
Witcher comics Geralt
"Something for true collectors": CD Projekt CEO shares his nostalgia for the "super retro" Witcher comics that are coming out in English for the first time
Latest in News
Everybody's Golf Hot Shots
The surprise theme of today's Nintendo Direct was classic PlayStation franchises getting a comeback without Sony's involvement
Hogwarts Legacy how many spells
Unannounced Hogwarts Legacy DLC reportedly canceled, partly because the studio wasn't sure it'd be worth players' money
Ultimate X-Men #14
Ultimate X-Men #14 pays homage to a classic Wolverine moment as the Shadow King returns
Assassin's Creed Shadows screenshot showing Yasuke kneeling and praying while wearing a traditional purple robe
Ubisoft reaches deal with Tencent to create $4.3 billion mini-Ubisoft subsidiary to "spearhead development" on new Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six games
Kaitlyn Dever as Abby in The Last Of Us season 2
The Last of Us showrunner says he isn't worried about fan reaction to season 2: "The best way we could respect our fans and honor them is to not worry about them"
Black Myth: Wukong
English is no longer the biggest language on Steam as Chinese gamers embrace PC gaming even harder after Black Myth: Wukong