The Witcher 4 May Have Struck Gold With Its Geralt Approach

Highlights

• Geralt won’t be the main focus in The Witcher 4, but will still make an appearance, leaving room for new protagonists to shine.
• CD Projekt Red’s inclusion of Geralt in TW4 has potential for success, passing the torch to a new hero while satisfying longtime fans.
• Doug Cockle will reprise his role as Geralt not just in TW4, but also in Netflix’s upcoming animated film, bridging lore knowledge for all fans.

CD Projekt Red’s The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt has become one of the most-played games of all time, winning Game of the Year upon its release almost ten years ago. Doug Cockle, the voice of protagonist Geralt of Rivia, is iconic in his own right for lines like “damn, you’re ugly” and “wind’s howling”—and he comes bearing news.

Missing out on Cockle’s voice has surely been among the more disappointing aspects of the fourth Witcher installment for fans since the next iteration of games, codenamed Project Polaris, was announced in 2022. However, in an interview with Fall Damage, Cockle has excitedly confirmed Geralt will be in The Witcher 4.

Geralt’s Presence in The Witcher 4 Has Heavy Implications

Without a Protagonist Geralt, TW4 Possibilities are Vast

It remains true that Geralt won’t be a protagonist, which Cockle reiterates:

“Geralt will be part of the game. We just don’t know how much, and the game won’t focus on Geralt, so it’s not about him this time.”

This makes sense, given CDPR beautifully wrapped up Geralt’s story in their final DLC for TW3, Blood and Wine, which has the White Wolf retiring in his own vineyard in Toussaint. But while the titular witcher of both a large book series and a massively awarded video game trilogy is no longer on the Path, his presence implies a few things.

Cockle himself has previously theorized that Geralt’s adoptive daughter Ciri will be the new Witcher protagonist, but nothing beyond a medallion poster and a large developer team has been confirmed about the project. Nonetheless, this now still seems a possibility. Similarly, it could imply a game taking place in Geralt’s lifetime, whether it be when he was just getting started as a witcher or perhaps near his death.

Of course, Geralt could also appear in flashbacks or as a narrator. The Witcher 3’s narrator was an older Dandelion, the beloved bard companion of the white-haired witcher, so this chance is no more unlikely than the others. Whatever the case, Cockle’s confirmation leaves much to the imagination.

CDPR’s Decision to Include Geralt Stands to be Successful

Regardless of how Geralt appears, CDPR’s decision for the already deeply anticipated Witcher 4 may have struck gold. With the astounding success of the third game, the Polish developer has massive shoes to fill, and leaving behind one of the most iconic protagonists of all time won’t make the task any easier.

“We don’t know who it’s about,” Cockle said with palpable enthusiasm. “I’m excited to find out, I want to know!” He added that he (supposedly) hasn’t seen any script yet, so it will be a long time before fans have answers regarding the actual protagonist.

But in any manner in which Geralt shows up, it will most importantly feel like the torch is being passed to the next series hero while satisfying the hungry ears of long-time players with Cockle’s gruff and gravelly tones. For newcomers to the series, the fourth game will need to be accessible, with some even positing it will feature a customized protagonist, and Geralt’s presence could bridge the gap in players’ lore knowledge about witchers and the Continent as a whole.

For those who love Cockle’s legendary performance, his return to Geralt of Rivia isn’t limited to a very distant game. He will be portraying the witcher once more in Netflix’s upcoming animated film The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep, based on a story from the novels by Andrzej Sapkowski.