'The Witcher 4' Game Director And Narrative Director Respond To Trailer Backlash And Criticism
The Witcher 4 Narrative Director Philipp Weber and Game Director Sebastian Kalemba responded to the backlash and criticism the announcement trailer received after it was revealed during The Game Awards.
In an interview with Eurogamer, Weber and Game Director Sebastian Kalemba were asked about the backlash the game is receiving after it was revealed that Ciri would be the main protagonist.
Weber answered, “I think there's many very valid worries and responses, because I think a lot of them come out of passion, and I think a lot of those questions are also questions that we asked ourselves. So we really, again, say that we are beholden to the lore, the canon of the books by Andrzej Sapkowski, the three previous Witcher games, and we'd want to take that seriously, and we really want to respect that. So all the answers we basically want to give in The Witcher 4 are in line with this attitude.We're not suddenly making up stuff just because we want to. We really want to take these things seriously.”
“So I can really understand if some people, you know, might have wished to play another game with Geralt - like I can say myself, I could make games about Geralt until the day I die, and I would probably die happy. But I think for me, and I think for all of us [at CDPR], it's also just really exciting to see all the opportunities that Ciri brings us, both with her character, and also by just virtue of who she is, what we can do with her in terms of the gameplay as well,” he added. “So I think the best answer for us, for those people that really are worried right now, is basically to show them, when we are ready, that we really do this well and with care. And I think - I hope - we can then convince them with the game itself. Because I think actions speak louder than words.”
Kalemba also answered, “Yeah, well said. And on top of that, just please remember that we are also not only developers, but we are also gamers, right? And, you know, we've started with the second protagonist already in The Wild Hunt. And so there was already a tease. So we really [are] all about making sure such calls are very educated calls. And we really believe, as Philip already said, that we also have so much of a great story to tell with Ciri, and she deserves that.”
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However, earlier in the interview when asked how they would approach the various endings from The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt specifically the ones where Ciri does not become a witcher, Weber said he could not provide any details.
He shared, “So we can't say yet how exactly we're going to handle it. This is something that we want to reveal later. What I can say is that we really want to respect everything that came before, that being the books by Andrzej Sapkowski and all three Witcher games, and that of course, should also include some of the most important choices the player made there. But exactly how we, you know, reveal how we handle all of these things, this will be part of the story that we tell in Polaris so I think that we have to talk about how we do it a little bit later.”
Weber also justified the fact that Ciri is a witcher given she’s described as a witcher in the books.
When asked if Sapkowski approves of Ciri being a Witcher, Weber said, “I mean, I can actually give you a very good answer, because it's the answer that Andrzej Sapkowski usually gives: the answer is in the books. And in the books, Andrzej Sapkowski called Ciri a witcher multiple times, and Geralt called Ciri a witcher in the books too. So I think that basically says what Andrzej Sapkowski thinks about the topic.”
In Blood of Elves, Ciri is described as a “witcher” when Triss arrives at Kaer Morhen and sees what she believes is a young witcher training. The young Ciri also describes herself as a witcher when she goes to aid Triss after Triss fell while chasing her.
However, Ciri is not a witcher and does not become a witcher and is instead whisked away from Kaer Morhen by Triss and Geralt.
In fact, the book states, “The green eyes of the little witcher-girl betrayed no signs of mutation and the touch of her little hand did not produce the slight, pleasant tingling sensation so characteristic of witchers. Although she ran the Killer path with a sword slung across her back, the ashen-haired girl had not been subjected to the Trial of Grasses or to Changes. Of that, Triss was certain.”
It also reads, “The ashblonde girl who, here in Kaer Morhen, they want to turn into a witcher. A real witcher. A mutant. A killing machine, like themselves. … They want to mutate the child, subject her to the Trial of Grasses and Changes, but they don’t know how to do it.”
Furthermore, Triss states, “Ciri must not be allowed to grow wild. She has to have contact with the world. With her peers. She has to be decently educated and prepared for a normal life. Let her wave her sword about for the time being. You won’t turn her into a witcher without mutation anyway, but having a witcher’s training won’t harm her.”
Elsewhere in Blood of Elves, the dwarf Yarpen Zigrin calls her a witcher-girl. However, this is after she’s left Kaer Morhen with Triss and Geralt. She also did not undergo the mutations to turn into a witcher.
Yennefer would also refer to her as a witcher-girl, but she did so derogatorily saying, “Furious as a cat. Sparks in her eyes; just wait and she’ll hiss. And if she could flatten her ears, she would. A witcher-girl! I’ll have to take her firmly in hand, file her claws.”
Ciri would also claim she was destined to be a witcher while training under Yennefer, “I’m destined for Geralt . . . I’m destined to be a witcher! I’ve only come here for a short period! I’m going back to Kaer Morhen soon . . .”
What do you make of Weber and Kalemba’s comments?
The dumbest thing about this is that Ciri is canonically MUCH MORE POWERFUL than a mere witcher, being a magical Source and heir of the Elder Blood, who (as of the end of the 3rd game) had enough control of her massive magical potential to end the White Frost. It's like casting Wonder Woman as the new Batman; it doesn't make sense in terms of either character.
Put a chick in it and making it fuckin' lame and fuckin' gay!