No Matter Where The Witcher 4 Goes, Geralt is Likely to Follow

There comes a time in the shelf life of a good series when the narrator has to make a heartwrenching choice: to end the storyline with a final adventure from the protagonist or to pivot to a new central character to extend the tale. The latter is the mark of a true narrative masterpiece, as diverging from the main draw and retaining a large section of the fan base is no mean feat. CD Projekt Red’s The Witcher 4 finds itself on the banks of this Rubicon, with all clues indicating that The Witcher is ready to move on from Geralt of Rivia as its centerpiece. It isn’t clear to what degree the developer plans to leave Geralt behind, but even without the White Wolf as the protagonist, The Witcher 4 is bound to be rife with tributes to him.

Switching out a protagonist that fans have gotten accustomed to is, without question, one of the most difficult storytelling tricks for a series to maneuver. Franchises like Borderlands which are built from the ground up with a co-dependent synergy between their characters find it easier to change the main focus without any backlash. However, in most cases, a singular flagbearer embodies the franchise, raising the stakes of such a change. While it will be tough for CD Projekt Red to determine a successor, Geralt of Rivia fans should not be too concerned, as even if he has no impact on the story, the Butcher of Blaviken will surely find a way to impact The Witcher 4‘s narrative.

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Geralt Returning to The Witcher 4 In Some Capacity Seems Almost Inevitable

The Witcher 4 Should Feature Nods to Geralt’s Legend

If Geralt’s is properly involved in the story of the next game, it’s easy to envision The Witcher 4 running into a “Batman problem” in its narrative, where players simply wish they could control Geralt. Ultimately, it makes sense to retire the character, with the White Wolf’s time as a Witcher coming to its conclusion in The Witcher 3 and the DLC further driving home the point. Still, that does not mean that the upcoming game can’t benefit from an infusion of his personality.

To achieve this, Geralt’s imprint should still be felt firmly around the Continent in The Witcher 4, despite his reduced role in the series’ affairs. Entire conversations could be dedicated to his legend, and players could still meet some of his allies in cutscenes that bridge the narrative of the previous trilogy with the new. Apart from cutscenes and pieces of dialogue, CD Projekt Red would be remiss not to include items that have become synonymous with Geralt’s character in the form of collectibles in The Witcher 4, as well as random environmental nods to the series’ original hero.

For instance, Aerondight is Geralt’s most famous sword in The Witcher 3 and has even appeared as an Easter Egg in Cyberpunk 2077. Fans of The Witcher could see this blade and similar famed pieces of the White Wolf’s persona reappear in The Witcher 4 in some capacity, perhaps even being usable weapons with descriptions that reference the original wielder. Ultimately, even if Geralt ends up having no role in the next game’s story , it feels likely that his presence will continue to be felt.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Released

May 19, 2015

Engine

REDengine 3

ESRB

M for Mature: Use of Alcohol, Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content

Expansions

The Witcher 3: Hearts of Stone , The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine

How Long To Beat

52 Hours

Metascore

94

PS Plus Availability

N/A