Summary
Geralt of Rivia has become synonymous withThe Witcher. His story, his raspy voice, and his complicated relationship with the law of surprise are what come to mind when one thinks ofThe Witchergames. But “witcher” is a job, one that many others have taken on. Geralt is not the only monster hunter out there worthy of being the protagonist of a CD Projekt Red game. With the studio developing a newWitchertitle under the namePolaris, it might be time for a new star to shine inThe Witcher 4– and risky as it may be, it might be ideal if this character is a totally new face to the franchise.
The Wild Hunt in Witcher 3 Cleanly Ends Geralt’s Story
The Witchergames take place during a tumultuous time on the Continent: While the bellicose empire of Nilfgaard invades the kingdoms of the north, The Wild Hunt plots to overtake the whole of the world, and the witchers of the world are dwindling into single digits. Geralt is pulled into the conflict via Ciri, the princess accidentally gifted to him via the archaic law of surprise. Ciri grows into a formidable witcher herself, and in the final game, players havemany different ways to end Geralt and Ciri’s story. Not all of them are happy endings, but they are, ultimately, endings.
CD Projekt Red has the opportunity to let Geralt rest.At the end of theBlood and WineDLC, Geralt himself seems keen on some relaxation. There are various arguments to be made about including him, whether as an NPC or a playable character, in the next game, but it is unlikely that he will bePolaris' protagonist.The Witcher 3: The Wild Huntwrapped up a trilogy of games that told Geralt’s story from amnesiac beginnings to heroic endings. It is time for the White Wolf to retire.
How A New Protagonist Could Solve an Old Problem in The Witcher
The previous games solved the apocalyptic threat of The White Frost and, in turn, the invasion of The Wild Hunt, butThe Witchertrilogy did not solve the problem of witchers essentially going extinct. In the first game, Kaer Morhen, Geralt’s home base, is attacked and the potions and mutagenics needed for the deadly Trial of Grasses are stolen. The Trial of Grasses is an excruciating, transformative process through whichpotential witchers either gain enhanced abilitiesor die trying. It’s what gave Geralt his iconic silver-white hair, his monster killing skills, ability to see in the dark, and so on.
Part of the Trail of Grasses is conducted on “Uma” during the events ofThe Witcher 3, but the whole of the process remains mysterious. It is said that only three in ten children that take on the Trial survive.
Although the stolen goods are recovered, the secrets behind making them have been lost long before Kaer Morhen was robbed. With fewer monsters roaming the world, there is no longer a great demand for witchers. The birth of a new witcher would be one way for CD Projekt Red to address this issue. A character totally new to the world of witchering would make a great foil to the old expert Geralt that players know and love. The games have never explicitly shown the entirety of what the Trial of Grasses entail, though players had a glimpse of how harrowing witcher training can be through Ciri’s childhood exploits atKaer Morhen, which houses the witcher School of the Wolf.
There are other witcher schools besides Geralt and Ciri’s alma mater that could be the source of a new protagonist. The end ofThe Witcher 2: Assassins of Kingssees the resurrection of the School of the Viper, should Geralt choose to spare fellow witcher and kingslayer Letho. Any one of these schools, including thenow-confirmed new School of the Lynx, could make a great new location to explore inThe Witcher 4:
The world ofThe Witcheris wider than what is shown through Geralt’s point of view. There are plenty of opportunities to take the next game to a new location, a new school, and explore through the eyes of a new witcher.Ciri is an obvious option forPolaris' protagonist, but her story has similarly been told through the originalWitchertrilogy. WithThe Witcher 4, CD Projekt Red has the opportunity to start the nextWitchertrilogy with a blank slate and a new witcher for players to come to admire.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
WHERE TO PLAY
You are Geralt of Rivia, mercenary monster slayer. Before you stands a war-torn, monster-infested continent you may explore at will. Your current contract? Tracking down Ciri — the Child of Prophecy, a living weapon that can alter the shape of the world.PLAY AS A HIGHLY TRAINED MONSTER SLAYER FOR HIRETrained from early childhood and mutated to gain superhuman skills, strength, and reflexes, witchers are a counterbalance to the monster-infested world in which they live.Gruesomely destroy foes as a professional monster hunter armed with a range of upgradeable weapons, mutating potions, and combat magic. Hunt down a wide variety of exotic monsters, from savage beasts prowling mountain passes to cunning supernatural predators lurking in the shadowy back alleys of densely populated cities. Invest your rewards to upgrade your weaponry and buy custom armor, or spend them on horse races, card games, fist fighting, and other pleasures life brings.EXPLORE A MORALLY AMBIGUOUS FANTASY OPEN WORLDBuilt for endless adventure, the massive open world of The Witcher sets new standards in terms of size, depth, and complexity. Traverse a fantastical open world: explore forgotten ruins, caves, and shipwrecks, trade with merchants and dwarven smiths in cities, and hunt across the open plains, mountains, and seas. Deal with treasonous generals, devious witches, and corrupt royalty to provide dark and dangerous services. Make choices that go beyond good & evil, and face their far-reaching consequences.
