It’s hard not to compare CD Projekt Red’s games to its most successful,The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Improving on previous games in a franchise is expected, but it’s also important that each game has its own identity.The Witcher 4has the best chance of doing just that thanks to its change in protagonist, which lends itself to spinning the game in completely new directions.
The news thatThe Witcher 4will stand on its own merits, rather than try to emulateThe Witcher 3, is great news for the franchise. In forging its own identity, it’ll give more of what is great aboutThe Witcher 3, while also giving Ciri a compelling story and path of her own.The Witchergames need to be able to be great without Geralt and, by moving on fromThe Witcher 3, gives space for the games to grow.
Ciri Deserves Her Own Story
In a recentinterview with GamesRadar+,The Witcher 4’s narrative director Philipp Weber revealed that CD Projekt Red isn’t aiming to surpassThe Witcher 3, as it understands that players have their preferences. Weber goes on to say:
“I think the way we want to do justice to the legacy ofThe Witcher 3is to take the philosophy we had duringThe Witcher 3- how to make a game, how to really care about these things, how to tell stories - and keep that philosophy.
And I think it’s really trying to have that healthy mix of really moving forward and also trying out some new things, but doing justice to what was there, not trying to beat it.”
Trying to measureThe Witcher 4againstThe Witcher 3would be a recipe for disaster. Ciri is a different character from Geralt, with a different skill set, abilities, personality, perspective, and experiences.The Witcher 4needs to build on its predecessor’s past success, but creating something that is a pale copy of its predecessor is begging for unflattering comparisons to be made. At the same time, it’s also possible to move forward while honoring the game that made a sequel possible.
The approach of givingThe Witcher 4enough respect that it can forge its own identity on its own, instead of coasting on past achievements, givesThe Witcher 4the best chance of successwhile also respecting the legacy ofThe Witcher 3. By not usingThe Witcher 3as a goal to beat, there’s less pressure on CD Projekt Red to capture lightning in a bottle twice using the same strategy, and instead creates room to create something new that many players, old and new, will love.
Geralt’s Legacy Lives on Through Different Stories
This is a great way to have the franchise grow and mature organically asThe Witcher 4continues on the path that Geralt began.Geralt is confirmed to appear inThe Witcher 4, but it will be Ciri’s story, not Geralt’s, and telling it will require understanding that her story deserves to stand on its own.
Instead of giving players more of the same, these statements make it clear thatThe Witcher 4will be unique, but also just as engaging asThe Witcher 3.
Forging its own path doesn’t mean reinventing the wheel, andThe Witcher 4will likely include systems and storytelling features that madeThe Witcher 3so popular. However, this doesn’t mean thatThe Witcher 4will be a copy ofThe Witcher 3, asCyberpunk 2077was made with the same philosophy and managed to be distinct from CD Projekt Red’sThe Witchergames.
