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

A Witcher 4 Genesis: How a Witcher 3 Side Quest Shaped the Next Chapter

The development of The Witcher 4, featuring Ciri in a leading role and kicking off a new trilogy, began surprisingly with a seemingly minor addition to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Two years prior to the Witcher 4's reveal, a special quest, "In the Eternal Fire's Shadow," was introduced.

Initially released in May 2015, The Witcher 3 already featured Ciri as a playable character in certain segments. However, the December 2024 Game Awards trailer confirmed Ciri's starring role in the upcoming sequel. The "In the Eternal Fire's Shadow" side quest, added in late 2022, served a dual purpose: promoting the game's next-gen update and providing in-game justification for the armor worn by Henry Cavill in the Netflix series.

Philipp Webber, quest designer for Witcher 3 and narrative director for Witcher 4, revealed on social media that this quest acted as an onboarding experience for new team members joining the Witcher 4 development. He described it as "the perfect start to getting back into the vibe." This aligns with the March 2022 announcement of Witcher 4, approximately nine months before the side quest's release. While pre-announcement planning undoubtedly existed, Webber's statement sheds light on the team's practical approach to integrating new talent.

While Webber didn't name specific individuals, it's plausible that some team members transitioned from the Cyberpunk 2077 team (released in 2020). This timing also fuels speculation about potential similarities between Witcher 4's skill tree and that of Cyberpunk 2077's Phantom Liberty expansion. The integration of new developers via the side quest offers a fascinating glimpse into the behind-the-scenes preparation for this highly anticipated installment.