Not long ago, CD Projekt Red unveiled its newest project — a new Witcher game. This announcement made waves in the community, and fans were eager to discuss what the new title might bring to the already popular game series.
One discussion revolved around the game’s protagonist. Geralt’s story was more or less concluded at the end of the Witcher 3, so many fans thought that a new game would introduce a different main character. This is further supported by CD Projekt Red’s announcement as it marketed the upcoming Witcher title as a “new saga.” That said, it’s worth asking whether it will be able to follow up with an equally strong protagonist.
The Case for A Strong Witcher Protagonist
The first three games of The Witcher series had Geralt of Rivia as its main protagonist — a character with a fleshed-out backstory that explained his fears and motivations. This is especially the case for The Witcher fans who also read the book series. Moreover, Geralt’s training as a Witcher made him more powerful than the common folk, allowing the player to traverse the game world without fearing for Geralt’s life (at least, most of the time). Finally, Geralt’s deadpan personality and penchant for sarcasm made for some enjoyable dialogue sequences.
Overall, Geralt is a compelling protagonist, which is why many players of the original Witcher series found the games so enjoyable. Despite the games’ multiple routes and endings, Geralt remains consistent in his characterization. In other words, player choice didn’t take away from Geralt’s character, but, on the contrary, built upon it. It's this balance between the protagonist’s personality and player choice that made Geralt such a fun character to play — one that fits in the Witcher’s fantasy world very well.
That’s not to say that games with silent main characters or “blank slates” are bad. On the contrary, the protagonists of games like Skyrim and BioShock work excellently in their respective titles. However, in the case of The Witcher, it can be argued that a character with a fleshed-out background and their own voice has been proven to work excellently in a game world as vast and complex as the Continent. Case in point, Geralt’s previously established relationships with characters like Yennefer, Triss, Dandelion, Dijkstra, and Emhyr allow the developers to spin a complex yet enthralling narrative.
With that said, it may be worth emulating this same formula in the next Witcher saga to introduce a new protagonist who already has backstory and history in the series. This would allow the developers to create another interesting story, building on already established bonds and events from the previous games. There are a few candidates from the old Witcher games to choose from.
Potential Protagonists for the Upcoming Witcher Saga
Ciri is everyone’s first choice. As one of the focal points of both the book series and The Witcher 3, Ciri stands as among the most developed characters in the Witcher world. Plus, it would make sense to feature her in the new saga, as the end of Geralt’s story naturally flows to the beginning of hers. However, this may not be easy to accomplish since Ciri pursues different paths depending on the ending of The Witcher 3.
Other potential protagonists are Eskel and Lambert, who left Kaer Morhen after the events of The Witcher 3. Both have established personalities and relationships that could very well be expanded on in the next Witcher saga. Alternatively, the new title might go back in time and feature a younger Vesemir. If anything, the Netflix film “The Witcher: The Nightmare of the Wolf” proves that a story revolving around the wise Witcher is a viable option.
Regardless of how CD Projekt Red chooses to tackle the next Witcher game — established protagonist or not — fans are eager to see what more the developers have in store. Though until they reveal more about what they’ve got planned, the community can only speculate.
A new Witcher game is in development.