[gtranslate]
Clocked

The Witcher 4: everything we know about the rumoured RPG

DS

by Dan Shaw

DS

by Dan Shaw

Gamers are hungry for The Witcher 4, the next chapter in an iconic series. Let’s discover if and when it will hit the shelves.

The Witcher series has been an undeniable smash for CD Projekt Red. Based on a series of novels by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski, it has even transcended the gaming realm and become a Netflix hit. But for gamers, the only question on their lips is whether there’ll be another instalment of the classic RPG, namely, The Witcher 4. 

With the sheer scale of The Witcher 3 (the core game plus a huge amount of DLC) there is still plenty of content to absorb. But still, that hasn’t stopped fans from asking “what next?” if only to see if this legendary game can be topped. Let’s dive into all the possibilities surround The Witcher 4.

The Witcher 4

New jobs at CD Projekt Red

If you’re somewhat attuned to the development seasons of AAA publishers and development firms, the job ads are significant. Why? Well, they have the potential to shed light on what is coming next for the publisher. So when AAA giants like CD Projekt Red put out the ‘help wanted’ sign, people tend to notice.

Such was the case when CD Projekt Red posted an ad for a camera programmer. But if you bury into the detail a little bit, you’ll notice that criteria include “experience in developing real-time third person perspective cameras.” Considering that The Witcher games use this perspective, as opposed to the first person Cyberpunk 2077, all signs would indicate toward the development of The Witcher 4. 

Also from within the camp, CD Projekt Red CEO Adam Kiciński has already hinted at the shape of The Witcher 4 (or should we say not The Witcher 4). He told Bankier, “The first three Witchers were by definition a trilogy, so we simply could not name the next game The Witcher 4. This does not mean, of course, that we will leave the world of The Witcher.”

Kiciński also noted that a “relatively clear concept” had been mapped out for the game and production would be launched after the release of Cyberpunk 2077. Whether or not the game will take on a chronological moniker is mere semantics for fans. Most will be happy to see The Witcher return in any form.

It’s all about lore

Of course, key to the cult status of The Witcher series is the rich storyline that threads the trilogy together. Early in 2020, CD Projekt (the developer’s parent company) and author Andrzej Sapkowski ended a disagreement surrounding the rights to the original novels, which could point to future collaborations. In an illuminating interview with Eurogamer back in 2017,  Sapkowski made his initial thoughts about the prospects of the game’s success clear:

“They offered me a percentage of their profits. I said, ‘No, there will be no profit at all — give me all my money right now![…] who could foresee their success? I couldn’t.”

Oops.

As we all know now, the adventures of Geralt became very successful indeed. This prompted Sapkowski to launch a claim on lost earnings, which CD Projekt disagreed with. According to a report in GamesIndustry.biz, a compromise was found, with the board (according to a CD Projekt statement), going to “…great lengths to ensure amicable resolution of this dispute.” If anything indicates a willingness to pursue a future working relationship, surely it’s this.

What next

While all indicators point toward the existence of the actual game, it’s still at a crossroads. The Witcher trilogy has come to a close, so any prospect of a straightforward sequel seems far-fetched. Instead, it could present an opportunity for the game to follow a new hero and who knows, maybe spawn a trilogy of its own.

Project Golden Nekker

While not The Witcher 4, it has been reported that CD Projekt Red are currently working on a spin-off to the highly successful Gwent: The Witcher Card Game. According to IGN, this game will focus more on the single player experience than the original Gwent game, which became popular in some competitive gaming circles.

And while the Project Golden Nekker game is unlikely to satisfy fans in the same way, it might make the wait for The Witcher 4 a little less painful.

Keep following this page to stay up to date with all the developments of The Witcher 4. 

Related