The Witcher 4 with Ciri in the lead role is not "woke," says Doug Cockle

With The Witcher 4 confirmed as the beginning of a new trilogy and with Ciri as the protagonist, predictable discussions about the change in narrative focus have resurfaced. But according to Doug Cockle, the voice actor of Geralt of Rivia since the first game in the series, the criticism that the choice would be "woke" is unfounded. "It's just stupidity," he said in an interview with the Fall Damage channel.

"If you think it's 'woke,' read the damn books," Cockle added, referring to the works of author Andrzej Sapkowski, the basis of the franchise. "She is an incredible character and there is much to be explored with her," he said, recalling that The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (2015) only scratched the surface of Ciri's journey, whose origin, powers, and connections to parallel worlds have always been central in the books.

The shift in focus of the new trilogy was confirmed by the game director, Sebastian Kalemba, in an interview with PC Gamer. According to him, "it was a natural choice to continue with Ciri," not only due to the narrative evolution after the end of The Witcher 3, but also because of the creative freedom that the character offers.

"There is a lot of room to explore with her," Kalemba said. "As a rich and complex character, the beginning of Ciri's journey gives us incredible opportunities to create new relevant and meaningful stories."

Although Geralt will appear in The Witcher 4, his role will be secondary. As Cockle stated: "We have already seen the end of Geralt's journey." The new trilogy, which will include the titles The Witcher 4, 5, and 6, will be released within a six-year interval from the launch of the next game.

The project is being developed by CD Projekt Red, who is also working on a remake of the first The Witcher (2007) and the sequel to Cyberpunk 2077. Additionally, the company recently announced a new game in partnership with Saudi Arabia, further expanding its production line.

For fans awaiting an authentic and well-founded continuation, Cockle's recommendation remains:
"Read the books - they are good. Then you will understand why there is nothing 'woke' about it."

With Ciri solidified as the protagonist, The Witcher 4 takes a coherent approach with the canon of the literary saga, avoiding retelling what has already been concluded.