The Witcher 4: Devs Share Strategy for Anticipated Title

A Witcher 4 Genesis: How a Witcher 3 Side Quest Prepared the Development 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 prior to the game's reveal, 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 established Ciri as a significant character, playable 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 acted as an initiation for new team members. He described it as "the perfect start to getting back into the vibe," aligning with the March 2022 announcement of The Witcher 4. While pre-announcement planning undoubtedly existed, this side quest clarifies the team's practical re-engagement with the Witcher universe.

While Webber didn't name the initiated team members, speculation points towards transfers from the Cyberpunk 2077 team (released in 2020). This, coupled with rumors of a Phantom Liberty-style skill tree in Witcher 4, adds intrigue to the timeline and the potential contributions of these new developers. The quest, therefore, served not only as a narrative bridge but also as a crucial element in the game's development process.