Witcher 4 Speculation - What to Expect

Gamewatcher write what to expect from a possible Witcher 4.

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While the interview came out just after The Witcher 3 was released in 2015, every other interview claimed that the game would be an end to Geralt of Rivia’s story. Seriously, how did we miss this? Now that this new information has been dug up, we think it’s high time we gave our opinion thusly: The Witcher 4 – What To Expect and What We Want to See! We’ll do 5 points each way, shall we?

The Witcher 4 - What To Expect

1. Geralt Will Not Be The Star

What Do You Mean?: The Witcher 3 was the last story of Geralt of Rivia. The next game in the series will star a different protagonist, most likely his adopted daughter Ciri.

Why This Will Definitely Happen: Talking to IGN, CD Projekt’s senior writer had this to say: “The Witcher universe is a very big place with a lot of NPCs, a lot of characters, a lot of places we haven't shown yet. So, we might return to it at some point…but we think that this is a good place to let Geralt enjoy his retirement and try something new." In other words CD Projekt wanted to make The Witcher 3 their big send-off for Geralt, the series star since the original books and someone we’ve levelled up three damn times. But who could fill his shoes?

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Good article but I would hope you could finally create your own character at least. As for playing as Ciri it would be impossible unless in cannon she became a Witcher.

In my play-through she always became the Empress as she deserved.

A Proper Open-World

What Do You Mean?: Wait, wasn’t Witcher 3 already open-world? Yes it was… to a point. While Geralt has full freedom over where he can explore, there are still barriers and warp areas dividing up the map so that we can’t sail from Kaer Morhen to the Skellige Isles. The open world isn’t just one big area, unlike Skyrim, GTA5 or Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and it feels a bit of a cheat. Witcher 4 will correct this.

That's were I disagree as I actually liked how it was a semi-open world instead of fully open. Seems every game has to be the latter nowadays, or journalist complain.

i always believed W3 was the last one?

Originally Posted by ikbenrichard
i always believed W3 was the last one?

Last one with Geralt. They said they at least wanted a serious break the witcher but never ruled out coming back to the universe itself.

That's were I disagree as I actually liked how it was a semi-open world instead of fully open. Seems every game has to be the latter nowadays, or journalist complain.

Open world like the witcher 2 would be even better.

Originally Posted by ikbenrichard
i always believed W3 was the last one?

It was the last game for the Witcher Geralt. They said they might go back one day, but the new game would be different. So at this time it's nothing but a pipe dream.

CDPR right now is working on Cyberpunk 2077, and another unannounced RPG.

They ended on such a high note, that coming back with $ made sequel could end up in Andromeda.
Not likely seeing it anyways in at least 5-6 years, I'd rather hope they pick up Conan liscence and do something similar.

The number one thing I'd like to see improvement on is with gear. I'd actually prefer less of it, but what you do manage to find or acquire have real impact. The game starts out fun with a bazillion areas to investigate. But after just a few hours you find yourself tossing yet another trinket on the pile of useless junk. W3 would have been a lot more fun to explore if whatever it is you found had real meaningful impact. So fewer items and perhaps fewer places to explore, but much more meaning and impact to what is there. That would be my vote.

This is pure guesswork. Personally I'd like to see them move the timeline forward a few hundred years.

Here we go again:

Originally Posted by Morrandir
Rise of the Witcher Order: Geralt as the only remaining Witcher revives the Witcher schools with the help of Ciri who after 20 years of reigning in Nilfgaard is fed up with politics.
You play as one of the new Witcher aspirants with full character customization.

Originally Posted by rjshae
This is pure guesswork. Personally I'd like to see them move the timeline forward a few hundred years.

There would be no "fantasy", no monster, no witches, no mages. At the time of Geralt it was already considered a dying world in terms of magic hence the witchers becoming a rarity.
I don't know if the world as a pure "medieval" setting has any appeal per se.

I expect an excellent game, and I further expect that, this time, I shan't be waiting on a sale to pick up the new product!

Originally Posted by TheMadGamer
The number one thing I'd like to see improvement on is with gear. I'd actually prefer less of it, but what you do manage to find or acquire have real impact. The game starts out fun with a bazillion areas to investigate. But after just a few hours you find yourself tossing yet another trinket on the pile of useless junk. W3 would have been a lot more fun to explore if whatever it is you found had real meaningful impact. So fewer items and perhaps fewer places to explore, but much more meaning and impact to what is there. That would be my vote.

Absolutely. The loot system in TW3 is pretty bad, and I felt it was easily the weakest part of the game. I don't think there needs to be fewer places to explore, just take the time to insert more hand-placed loot into the world, and don't use so much random generation especially with weapons.

As far as a protagonist for the next game, I really hope it's not Ciri. Give us character customization as Morrandir suggests, or at least give us several characters to choose from. This is assuming it's not Geralt.

Originally Posted by ChatMiauleur
There would be no "fantasy", no monster, no witches, no mages. At the time of Geralt it was already considered a dying world in terms of magic hence the witchers becoming a rarity.
I don't know if the world as a pure "medieval" setting has any appeal per se.

No, it's fantasy setting. They can do whatever they want with it, including introducing a rebirth of magic (and so forth) based in a post-medieval realm.

If they did a W4 I would want it to be more story oriented with fewer unrelated side quests and more focused on the main plot. Also shaving a few hours off - think doubling the main story in length but dump a lot of the unrelated side stuff.

Originally Posted by rjshae
No, it's fantasy setting. They can do whatever they want with it, including introducing a rebirth of magic (and so forth) based in a post-medieval realm.

Do they have full creative freedom? How's the situation with licencing from Sapkowski?

I think TW3 was almost perfect in the way they designed the quests. Most of the sidequests were worthwhile, but at the same time they were completely optional. Nothing forced the player to spend 100 hours doing additional quests.

Personally, I thought it had the best sidequests of perhaps any crpg I've played.

Originally Posted by Couchpotato
CDPR right now is working on Cyberpunk 2077, and another unannounced RPG.

An unannounced RPG called The Witcherette.

Its true that the side quests were very good and more than a few were far better than the main story but i prefer a game that emphasis the main story and quite frankly I thought the main story could have used a bit more depth and focus.

Originally Posted by JDR13
I think TW3 was almost perfect in the way they designed the quests. Most of the sidequests were worthwhile, but at the same time they were completely optional. Nothing forced the player to spend 100 hours doing additional quests.

Personally, I thought it had the best sidequests of perhaps any crpg I've played.

I don't see any newly "dug up" information here.