The Witcher 4 is poised to be the most immersive and ambitious installment in the beloved video game series, with Ciri taking center stage as the new Witcher, while Geralt steps into retirement. CD Projekt Red's executive producer has shed light on Ciri's destiny and Geralt's well-deserved rest.

Most Immersive Witcher Title Yet

Ciri’s Destiny From The Very Beginning

CD Projekt Red (CDPR) is setting new heights with The Witcher 4, which executive producer Małgorzata Mitręga describes as "the most immersive and ambitious open-world Witcher game to date" in an interview with GamesRadar+. "We definitely want to raise the bar with every video game that we create. This is what we did with Cyberpunk 2077 after The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, and we want to apply all of the lessons learned from both of these experiences and incorporate them into The Witcher 4," game director Sebastian Kalemba added.

The latest addition to the acclaimed Witcher franchise will spotlight Ciri, Geralt of Rivia’s adopted daughter, who has seemingly inherited her father’s legacy as a Witcher. This transition was showcased in the grand cinematic trailer unveiled at The Game Awards. Story director Tomasz Marchewka emphasized, "From the very beginning we knew it had to be Ciri - she's a very complex character, and there is so much to be told about her."

Fans familiar with Ciri from The Witcher 3 might notice a slight change. At the end of the previous game, Ciri was "totally overpowered," but the trailer suggests some of her Witcher senses have dulled. Mitręga remained tight-lipped about the reason, only hinting that "something totally happened in-between." Kalemba reassured fans that clarity would come within the game itself, stating, "We cannot tell you exactly how. But we can tell you just, like, believe us: that was one of the things, or first things, that we were solving, to make sure—the way we develop here, we do not leave anything without a clear answer."

Despite these changes, Ciri will still embody much of Geralt's spirit. Mitręga noted, "She's faster, more agile—but you can still tell that she was raised by Geralt, right?"

Time For Geralt To Retire—No, Really

As Ciri steps into her role as the Witcher, Geralt of Rivia is set to enjoy a peaceful retirement. At over fifty years old, he's earned it. According to the novel series’ author, Andrzej Sapkowski, Geralt was 61 during the events of The Witcher 3.

In Sapkowski’s latest book, Rozdroże kruków (Raven’s Crossing or Crossing of the Ravens in English), it's confirmed that Geralt was born in 1211, making him 59 at the start of the first Witcher game, 61 during The Witcher 3, and 64 by the end of its DLC, Blood and Wine. By the time The Witcher 4 takes place, Geralt would be in his seventies or nearing eighty, depending on the game's timeline.

Witcher lore suggests that Witchers can live up to a hundred years, provided they survive their dangerous lifestyle. The revelation of Geralt's age surprised many fans, who previously believed he was around 90 years old.