The Witcher 4 Dev Explains How the Team Prepared to Work on the Long-Awaited Title

The Witcher 4's Genesis: A Side Quest's Unexpected Role

The development of The Witcher 4 wasn't a sudden leap; it began subtly, two years prior to its initial reveal, with a seemingly minor addition to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. This wasn't just any quest; it served as a crucial onboarding experience for new members joining the Witcher 4 team.

Ciri's ascension to the leading role in The Witcher 4, kicking off a new trilogy, was foreshadowed in the original Witcher 3, where she played a significant part. However, the December 2024 Game Awards trailer solidified her starring role in the upcoming installment.

The "In the Eternal Fire's Shadow" side quest, launched in late 2022, initially appeared as a promotional piece for the game's next-gen update and a way to canonically explain the appearance of Henry Cavill's armor from the Netflix series. But according to Philipp Webber, narrative director for The Witcher 4 and quest designer for The Witcher 3, this quest served a far more significant purpose. It acted as an initiation for new team members, immersing them in the Witcher universe before they tackled the ambitious project of The Witcher 4.

A Smooth Transition into The Witcher 4's Development

Webber described the side quest as "the perfect start to getting back into the vibe," perfectly aligning with the timeline. The Witcher 4's announcement in March 2022, approximately nine months before the side quest's release, suggests preliminary planning was already underway. However, the side quest provides a tangible starting point for the team's transition into the new project.

While Webber refrained from naming specific individuals, it's plausible that some team members transitioned from CD Projekt Red's Cyberpunk 2077 team (released in 2020). This transition, combined with speculation of a Phantom Liberty-esque skill tree in The Witcher 4, adds an interesting layer to the development narrative. The side quest, therefore, served not only as a narrative bridge but also as a practical training ground for the next generation of Witcher developers.