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. Two years before the official announcement, a special side quest, "In the Eternal Fire's Shadow," served as an onboarding experience for new members of the Witcher 4 development team.
Initially released in May 2015, The Witcher 3 already featured Ciri as a playable character in certain segments. However, the December 2024 Game Awards trailer confirmed her starring role in the upcoming sequel. The "In the Eternal Fire's Shadow" quest, added in late 2022, ostensibly promoted the game's next-gen update and provided in-game justification for the armor worn by Henry Cavill in the Netflix series.
Philipp Webber, former quest designer for Witcher 3 and now narrative director for Witcher 4, revealed on social media that this quest served as an initiation for new team members. He described it as "the perfect start to getting back into the vibe," perfectly aligning with the March 2022 announcement of Witcher 4. While pre-announcement planning undoubtedly existed, this side quest offers a concrete starting point for the team's transition.
While Webber didn't name the initiated team members, it's speculated that some may have transitioned from the Cyberpunk 2077 team (released in 2020). This timing fuels speculation about potential similarities between Witcher 4's mechanics and Cyberpunk 2077's "Phantom Liberty" expansion, particularly regarding skill trees. The side quest's role in team integration provides a fascinating glimpse into the behind-the-scenes preparation for Ciri's solo adventure.
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