The trailer for The Witcher 4 dropped in 2024, and confirmed a number of previously unknown facts about it. Ciri was confirmed as the protagonist, and that she was living as a witcher, including having gone through the Trial of the Grasses. One source of controversy was her appearance, as some gamers complained that Ciri looked different from The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. The complaints were revealed to have no bearing when the Official Behind the Scenes Cinematic Reveal trailer was released.
Changing the appearance of characters from game to game is fairly common and is done for a number of reasons. Character designs can change because of a shift in the game's art style, or because of technical advancements. The Witcher 4 will likely only be released on next-gen consoles, which means a big jump in tech from The Witcher 3, and some changes are to be expected. Despite this, Ciri is still recognizable. Because of this, Geralt's appearance is likely to also remain unchanged in The Witcher 4.
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Ciri's Appearance Will Be Unchanged in The Witcher 4
The behind-the-scenes trailer showed the process behind creating the reveal trailer for The Witcher 4. The process included a mixture of animation, motion-capture, and heavy use of lighting and digital art to bring Ciri to life. In the process, the combination of lighting and angles altered Ciri's appearance, creating the depiction that audiences saw in the trailer. In reality, Ciri's in-game model looks remarkably like Ciri in The Witcher 3, and her general appearance remains unchanged.
The controversy over Ciri's appearance proved to be meaningless. Keeping Ciri's appearance the same as it was in The Witcher 3 is not as important as Geralt's, as he's the face of the series, but it's still good that Ciri is recognizable. The Witcher 4 is set to take place soon after The Witcher 3 and, with Ciri having gone through the Trial of the Grasses, any time skip is unlikely to have a major effect on her.
Geralt Will Likely Be Recognizable in The Witcher 4
Ciri is currently the only past character who has been shown for The Witcher 4. CD Projekt Red has confirmed that Geralt will appear in The Witcher 4, but in a reduced capacity. It's unclear how he will have changed from the events of The Witcher 3, but it's unlikely that players won't be able to recognize him. Ciri's unchanged appearance from The Witcher 3 to The Witcher 4 is a big hint that Geralt will also look how he did in The Witcher 3. There is little reason to change Geralt's in-game model, as he'll be appearing as an NPC and, like Ciri, will likely keep his appearance.
Another reason Geralt's appearance is unlikely to change in any meaningful way is because, as a witcher, he doesn't physically age like humans. As The Witcher 4 is set shortly after the events of The Witcher 3, it's very unlikely that Geralt will have aged. Geralt is an iconic character and his appearance is a large reason why. His white hair and witcher school make him known as the White Wolf, so changing those parts of him would change fundamental parts of his character. As the face of The Witcher games, Geralt has to be recognizable to the game's fans, even with the changes that next-gen tech may bring to The Witcher 4.
- Developer(s)
- CD Projekt Red
- Publisher(s)
- CD Projekt Red
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
- Franchise
- The Witcher
WHERE TO PLAY
The Witcher IV is a single-player, open-world RPG from CD PROJEKT RED. At the start of a new saga, players take on the role of Ciri, a professional monster slayer, and embark on a journey through a brutal dark-fantasy world. Powered by Unreal Engine 5, it aims to be the most immersive and ambitious open-world Witcher game to date.
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Open-World
