The Witcher 4 Should Look to the Series’ Past, But Not for the Reason You Think

I regard The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt as my personal favorite game of all time and a landmark achievement in the medium. From the moment I first drew my blade alongside Vesemir in White Orchard, I was utterly captivated by its sprawling world, intricate lore, and masterclass in quest design. Having finished The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings only days before the third installment launched, I was initially awestruck by the sheer scale of Velen and Skellige. However, that transition left me pining for the weightier, more consequential decision-making that defined its predecessor.

<p><em>The Witcher 3</em> certainly offers plenty of opportunities to make choices—from the fate of Keira Metz to various romantic entanglements—but these decisions often feel hollow. Whether Geralt ends up with Yennefer of Vengerberg or Triss Merigold is a satisfying character beat that helps ground the player in the protagonist's shoes, but ultimately, it is a choice that remains isolated to Geralt’s personal arc rather than reshaping the world.</p>

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<p>Mechanically, <em>The Witcher 2</em> feels more restrained, a hallmark of a production that cost roughly <a href="https://www.cinemablend.com/games/Witcher-2-Cost-10-3-Million-Make-58698.html" target="_blank">$10 million</a> compared to the sequel's <a href="https://www.pcgamer.com/the-witcher-3-wild-hunt-cost-81-million-to-make/" target="_blank">reported $80 million</a> budget. While the world is segmented rather than open, and the combat lacks the refined fluidity of the third game, the narrative stakes feel significantly higher from the outset.</p>

<p>In the first act, you are forced to choose between allying with Iorveth and the Scoia'tael or Roche and the Blue Stripes. This is not a superficial choice; it fundamentally dictates the trajectory of your entire playthrough. You gain access to entirely different regions, exclusive quests, and characters you otherwise would never encounter. It is a rare example of game design that genuinely rewards a second playthrough to capture the full picture.</p>

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        </picture><small class="body-img-caption">Image: CD Projekt Red</small></figure>
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<p>In an era where a relentless stream of high-quality titles demands our attention, replaying a massive, hundred-hour RPG is a tall order. However, there is a middle ground—a way to ensure that player choices reverberate through the narrative without forcing the user to repeat the same ground. <em>Baldur's Gate 3</em> demonstrated this masterfully; it is widely hailed as the pinnacle of the RPG genre precisely because it respects player agency. You don't need to replay it to see the "true" version of the story; your choices simply color the world, and there is rarely a sense of arbitrary content gating based on a single decision.</p>

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        </picture><small class="body-img-caption">Image: CD Projekt Red</small></figure>
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<p>Ultimately, the gravity of its decision-making makes <em>The Witcher 2</em> feel like a more robust RPG than its sequel, despite <em>The Witcher 3</em> being a more polished and expansive package. The third entry allows for meaningful conclusions to character arcs, but it rarely lets the player feel the true weight of political upheaval or the tectonic shifts of war.</p>

<p>If <em>The Witcher 4</em> aims to synthesize the best aspects of the franchise, it must look back at its predecessors for inspiration. We need genuine, impactful player choice—not superficial consequences that lack staying power. Given the evolution CD Projekt Red displayed following the <em>Cyberpunk 2077</em> 2.0 update and the <em>Phantom Liberty</em> expansion, I am confident they have the capability. Perhaps the upcoming <em>Songs of the Past</em> DLC for <em>The Witcher 3</em> will serve as a promising prelude to what lies ahead.</p>

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Source: Polygon