A Witcher 4 Genesis: How a Witcher 3 Side Quest Prepared the Team
The development of The Witcher 4, featuring Ciri in the lead role for a new trilogy, began surprisingly with a seemingly unrelated quest in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. This revelation comes from Philipp Webber, narrative director for The Witcher 4 and former quest designer for The Witcher 3.
Two years prior to the The Witcher 4's announcement, the "In the Eternal Fire's Shadow" side quest was added to The Witcher 3. While ostensibly promoting the game's next-gen update and providing in-game justification for Henry Cavill's Netflix armor, Webber reveals a more significant purpose: onboarding new team members. This quest served as an initiation, allowing newcomers to immerse themselves in the Witcher universe and its narrative style before diving into the ambitious Witcher 4 project.
Webber describes this approach as "the perfect start to getting back into the vibe," perfectly aligning with the Witcher 4's March 2022 announcement. While pre-announcement planning undoubtedly existed, this side quest provides a concrete starting point for the team's creative process.
The quest's role in integrating new talent, potentially including transfers from the Cyberpunk 2077 team, is noteworthy. This timeline fuels speculation about potential similarities between The Witcher 4's mechanics and Cyberpunk 2077's Phantom Liberty expansion, particularly regarding skill trees. While Webber doesn't name specific individuals, the impact of this seemingly minor side quest on the major undertaking of The Witcher 4 is undeniable.
