Who is Ciri in The Witcher 4? The Game Awards 2024 dropped plenty of long-awaited video game announcements, and it’s safe to say that The Witcher 4’s full reveal trailer was one of the highlights of the event. If you haven’t played the previous games, especially The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, however, you may be a bit confused by its new protagonist, a seasoned witcher called Ciri.
Needless to say, you should get on those games as soon as possible, or at the very least, on the third one following its notable current-gen upgrade that dropped in late 2022. We don’t think that we’ll be playing The Witcher 4 for a few years, as it’s only entered full production recently, so you’ve got plenty of time to either revisit or experience for the first time all the dark fantasy and compelling RPG quests the Continent has to offer.
If you want a quick rundown on Ciri, the new protagonist, read below. We’ll try to keep things as simple as possible. But, really, you should check out The Witcher 3 for yourself, as the lore can be quite dense.
The Witcher 4 – Ciri’s history and background explained
Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon, born in 1251 (in-universe date in the game) and once the Princess of Cintra, was the daughter of Pavetta and Emhyr var Emreis, the emperor of Nilfgaard. After the death of her mother and some trips around the Continent, she was raised by Calanthe, queen of Cintra, and her grandmother.
Her destiny was intertwined with Geralt of Rivia’s (the main character and titular witcher of the series up to this point) due to the old custom of the Law of Surprise, which dictated that “a man saved by another is expected to offer to his saviour a boon whose nature is unknown to one or both parties.” Typically, this boon is a firstborn child that’s conceived or born without the father’s knowledge. It’s a concept that might be difficult to understand at first, but all you really have to know is that it’s rooted in the Continent’s traditions.
After some twists and turns, Geralt refused to take any child after his return to Cintra years later, yet destiny ends up bringing him and Cirilla (as well as Yennefer, Geralt’s true love) together. Around that time, she was taken to Kaer Morhen, a stronghold that was the headquarters of the witchers’ guild for centuries. There, she learned the ways of the legendary monster hunters, but her magical talents – which included teleportation – were revealed too.
Yennefer unveiled the Wild Hunt – a group of elves from another world – who would look for her because of her Elder Blood, something that eventually happened years later (and after staying away from Geralt and Yennefer for a long time). We’ll skip The Witcher 3 plot spoilers here, but there are three main story endings for Ciri depending on choices made throughout the game.
It’s obvious after watching the gorgeous first trailer that CD Projekt Red has made the most hopeful ending, which sees Ciri becoming a fully mature witcher after the main plot is resolved, canon. After tons of speculation about who the protagonist would be, this is the most sensible choice, as we felt that Cirilla’s story was only getting started by the time The Witcher 3 ended. It’s a fresh start of sorts, but also familiar enough to keep veteran fans as interested as before. Also, we’re now expecting Geralt to have a sizable supporting role.
“We’re kicking off a brand-new Witcher saga, this time with Ciri as the heart of the story!” said Sebastian Kalemba, Game Director. “It feels so good to finally be able to say those words — for the longest time we knew that we wanted Ciri to be the protagonist of The Witcher IV; it just felt natural to us and we believe that Ciri deserves it. In this game we want to explore what it means to truly become a witcher by following Ciri on her Path. This trailer is a taste of both that, and just how dark and grounded the world of The Witcher can be.”
The Witcher IV is being built using Unreal Engine 5 and is in development for the PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. No release date has been given.
For the latest gaming news, follow GameWatcher on BlueSky, check out our videos on YouTube, or give us a like on Facebook. We sometimes include affiliate links in our posts, which grants us a small commission, thank you.
