Witcher 4 Devs Unveils Pre-Production Strategies

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 task: a side quest for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. This strategic move served as a crucial onboarding process for new team members.

Initially released in May 2015, The Witcher 3 already showcased Ciri as a playable character. However, the December 2024 Game Awards trailer confirmed her starring role in the upcoming sequel. Two years prior, in late 2022, CD Projekt Red added "In the Eternal Fire's Shadow" to The Witcher 3. This quest, ostensibly promoting the game's next-gen update and providing in-game justification for Henry Cavill's Netflix armor, served a more significant purpose.

Philipp Webber, former Witcher 3 quest designer and current Witcher 4 narrative director, revealed on social media that this quest acted as an initiation for new team members joining the project. He described it as "the perfect start to getting back into the vibe," perfectly aligning with the March 2022 announcement of The Witcher 4. While pre-announcement planning undoubtedly existed, this side quest provides a concrete starting point for the team's transition.

While Webber didn't name specific individuals, it's plausible that some team members transitioned from the Cyberpunk 2077 team (released in 2020). This timing fuels speculation about potential similarities between The Witcher 4's mechanics and Cyberpunk 2077's Phantom Liberty expansion, particularly regarding skill trees. The side quest's role in integrating new talent offers a fascinating glimpse into the behind-the-scenes preparation for Ciri's solo adventure.