The Witcher 4 could be closer to being a reality than many realize, though it almost certainly won’t be sporting that title when it arrives.
Despite 2015’s third installment in the video game adaptation bringing Geralt of Rivia’s tale to a satisfying conclusion (depending on which one you received, of course), developer CD Projekt RED has stated numerous times in the past that it doesn’t consider its worth with the franchise finished. Indeed, the studio signed a multi-year deal with the author of the original Witcher books, Andrzej Sapkowski, last year, bringing to an end legal disputes started by the former regarding royalties and other payments. That being the case, then, a return to the Continent is almost certainly on the cards at some point in the future, but in what form?
At the very least, Geralt will likely be replaced with another protagonist, the identity of which could belong to a brand new character or one fans have already met. Ciri, Yennefer or Triss are obvious choices and all possible, but an equally possible alternative could be another Witcher. The latter would certainly alleviate the need to create all-new gameplay systems but truthfully, there’s currently no evidence suggesting one is more likely than the other.
As far as release dates go, the production cycle of CDPR’s Cyberpunk 2077 might suggest that the Next Big Thing is still many, many years out, but it’s worth pointing out that V’s escapades in Night City wouldn’t actually start to be realized beyond the conceptual stage until 2016, four years after it was initially announced. Taking all of this into account, The Witcher 4 – assuming it follows a similar timeline – could be in fans’ hands by 2025.
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