Summary
- CD Projekt Red plans to release new entries in both The Witcher and Cyberpunk 2077 IPs, but faces different challenges with each.
- While both franchises will center on new stories, Cyberpunk 2077's sequel has more flexibility due to the game's ending and protagonist choice, while The Witcher 4 will need to redefine the franchise without Geralt.
- The world of Cyberpunk 2077 is well-suited for stories without V, while The Witcher 4 risks living in the shadow of its predecessors and needs to feel fresh without losing the series' identity.
CD Projekt Red plans to release new entries in both The Witcher and Cyberpunk 2077 franchises, but the developer could encounter challenges with the former that it may not face with the latter. This mostly comes down to the fact that the context for Cyberpunk 2077's sequel is different from the next game in The Witcher series. While both franchises are wildly different from one another, the sequels to The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 share one similarity: they will center on new stories.
That's not to say that the upcoming games won't tie back to their predecessors, because they most likely will, but they probably won't be continuations of an already established story. Not much is known about Cyberpunk 2077's sequel, but the game's ending doesn't leave much room for a new chapter in V and Johnny's story. The next Witcher game is unlikely to feature Geralt, as CD Projekt Red has called it a "new saga" within the same universe of the earlier games. Thus, each game will be a fresh start, but what a "fresh start" means is quite different for The Witcher versus Cyberpunk 2077.
The Witcher Could Have a Hard Time Re-Establishing Itself After Geralt
The Witcher and Cyberpunk 2077 both place a premium on lore and world-building, but the way the games handle their protagonists is quite different. In Cyberpunk 2077, V has many predetermined character traits, but the player has much more freedom when it comes to defining who V is; they can choose V's gender, background, sexual orientation, and physical appearance. Players have much less control over Geralt, which makes him a firmer, more well-established character.
The entire The Witcher franchise has revolved around Geralt and his story, which is told over a trilogy of games. The Witcher's focus on Geralt is reflected in the game's source material and other adaptations, as the original novels, for the most part, are about Geralt's story, in addition to the Netflix TV show. This stands in contrast to Cyberpunk 2077, whose TV adaptation follows an entirely different main protagonist and cast. Cyberpunk 2077 is also adapted from a tabletop RPG, with V being a character that is original to the 2020 video game.
All that is to say that the world of Cyberpunk 2077 is well-suited to telling stories that don't include V or other potentially customizable protagonists. Geralt's story neatly bookends in The Witcher 3, and while the world of The Witcher is rich and filled with interesting lore, it's undeniable that Geralt has been the face of the franchise. Other characters like Ciri, who could perhaps helm the next game, have become iconic, but they will still always be measured against Geralt, who many consider one of the best protagonists in gaming. The Witcher 4, or Polaris, will need to redefine the franchise, showing what the world looks like without Geralt or at least without him playing a central role.
So, while fans are speculating about Cyberpunk 2077's sequel, the narrative is far less focused on V's involvement, with many excited about the possibility of a new player character. The Witcher 4, on the other hand, runs the risk of living in the shadow of its predecessors, as its protagonist and main story will inevitably be compared to the Geralt trilogy. The next game shouldn't bring Geralt out of retirement, but it also needs to take place in the same world as the earlier stories. CD Projekt Red will need to walk a fine line to ensure that the next The Witcher game feels fresh without losing the series' identity.