The Witcher 4 Dev Explains How the Team Prepared to Work on the Long-Awaited Title

A Witcher 4 Genesis: How a Witcher 3 Side Quest Prepared the Team

The development of The Witcher 4 began, in part, with a seemingly unassuming side quest for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. This initiative served as a crucial onboarding experience for new team members, smoothly transitioning them into the world of The Witcher 4's development. The game, which will feature Ciri as the protagonist, launching a new trilogy, benefited from this unique approach.

Initially released in May 2015, The Witcher 3 established Ciri as a significant character, albeit with limited playable segments. However, the December 2024 Game Awards trailer dramatically shifted the focus, showcasing Ciri's ascension to the lead role in The Witcher 4.

The pivotal side quest, "In the Eternal Fire's Shadow," added to Witcher 3 in late 2022, served a dual purpose. It promoted the game's next-gen update while providing in-game justification for the armor worn by Henry Cavill in the Netflix series. Philipp Webber, former Witcher 3 quest designer and current Witcher 4 narrative director, revealed on social media that this quest acted as an initiation for new team members, allowing them to immerse themselves in the Witcher universe before tackling The Witcher 4.

Bridging the Gap Between Games

Webber described the quest as "the perfect start to getting back into the vibe," aligning perfectly with The Witcher 4's development timeline. Announced in March 2022, the game's development likely commenced earlier, but the side quest provided a tangible starting point for new recruits, many of whom potentially transitioned from CD Projekt Red's Cyberpunk 2077 team (released in 2020). This timeline also fuels speculation about The Witcher 4's potential inclusion of a Phantom Liberty-style skill tree.

While Webber didn't name specific individuals, the side quest's role in integrating new talent into the Witcher 4 development process is undeniable, offering a fascinating glimpse behind the scenes of this highly anticipated title.