Poll: Who Would You Like to See as the Protagonist for "The Witcher 4"?

[sv3672]

But they also said that it is not clear what they will do after Cyberpunk and like one of CDPR CEO's said in an Interview: "It would be unfair, to not make new Witcher game!"

It would be unfair to the shareholders. But it is hard to tell what the future holds, perhaps in a few years more people will want a sequel to Cyberpunk (or whatever other game) than to Witcher. On the other hand, it is not uncommon either that a sequel is made to some popular old franchise after a long time, even if such sequels are not always good.

From another thread where it was off-topic:

Defining the protagonist's personality and traits sounds great in theory, but the practice taught me I'm having a choice between:
1) pre-defined protagonist with interesting personality
2) customizable protagonist with bland personality
The only game I can remember that have offered me a chance to customize my character and be pleased with the result was Mass Effect 2

Surely there can be a middle ground between the two extremes, like pre-defined with a wider range of choices, or limited customization (compared e.g. to a Bethesda game) ? And customizable is not necessarily bad either, if BioWare could make it work in Mass Effect, then why not CDPR with all the resources they have now ? In any case, if what I have read is right, then Cyberpunk 2077 will feature a customizable (at least to some extent) protagonist, so that should answer the question once the game is released.

Plus, the main reason we got as much freedom with Geralt in the first place was amnesia plot device. CDPR already played that card. Anyway, didn't you used to repeat that you don't want the book characters to have major roles in the future Witcher games?

It depends, while a completely new protagonist is an obvious way to achieve more freedom in the writing of the character and the available choices, it is not the only one. And I am not entirely against book characters if they or their relationships are not overly pre-defined, so that excludes only some of them. Also, even with pre-defined characters, there can be enough freedom if they interact with new ones or are put in a previously not experienced situation (the amnesia essentially made the world "new" to Geralt). In other words, existing protagonist and new NPCs, or new protagonist and (some) existing NPCs. Imagine Ciri's adventures in one of the worlds she travelled to before TW3 as an example, while I am not saying that is what I would prefer, in a story like that her being a book character (even a major one) would not be much of a limiting factor.

But in a poll like this, I tend to choose "A Pre-Defined, New Character" (and a new cast in general), because that is an option I can agree with without additional conditions like those explained above, and it also avoids world state import issues - which do not necessarily affect pre-existing characters either, they just further complicate the conditions under which I like the idea of using pre-existing characters.

 

[Guest 3847602]

Firstly, I wasn't mocking you, there was no need to edit your original post.

Surely there can be a middle ground between the two extremes, like pre-defined with a wider range of choices, or limited customization (compared e.g. to a Bethesda game) ? And customizable is not necessarily bad either, if BioWare could make it work in Mass Effect, then why not CDPR with all the resources they have now ? In any case, if what I have read is right, then Cyberpunk 2077 will feature a customizable (at least to some extent) protagonist, so that should answer the question once the game is released.

It's not unfeasible to satisfy both ends, just extremely difficult. I've heard the rumors about character creation in Cyberpunk but there are still too many unknowns about the game:
- will I be able to chose a race, gender and class for my character?
- will the protagonist be voiced or not and if yes, by whom?
- 1st or 3rd person perspective?
- will the game be character-driven (like Witcher or Bioware games) or about exploring the setting (like Deus Ex and Bethesda games)?
Until I know more, I'm not gonna even try to predict if customizable protagonist is a good idea or not.

It depends, while a completely new protagonist is an obvious way to achieve more freedom in the writing of the character and the available choices, it is not the only one. And I am not entirely against book characters if they or their relationships are not overly pre-defined, so that excludes only some of them. Also, even with pre-defined characters, there can be enough freedom if they interact with new ones or are put in a previously not experienced situation (the amnesia essentially made the world "new" to Geralt). In other words, existing protagonist and new NPCs, or new protagonist and (some) existing NPCs. Imagine Ciri's adventures in one of the worlds she travelled to before TW3 as an example, while I am not saying that is what I would prefer, in a story like that her being a book character (even a major one) would not be much of a limiting factor.

Agreed, that's more or less why my preferences for the next Witcher are Lambert or Eskel. Both are defined enough to be interesting main characters, and neither is too restricted by the books or previous games. Ciri is problematic for gameplay reasons.

 

[Twardyk]

And, you have to keep in mind that the Geralt of the games is actually a C.D.P.R. original, for the most part. They created him.

Geralt is fully described by Sapkowski. The guys from the studio just transferred him into the games with all his attributes and nuances of personality unchanged.

 

[Bellator_Pius_Grat]

It's the devs. I'd go with whatever CDPR would have in mind. Though many alternatives in the poll are appealing.

Good poll OP! ^_^

 

[RepHope]

Firstly, I wasn't mocking you, there was no need to edit your original post.




- will I be able to chose a race, gender and class for my character?
- will the protagonist be voiced or not and if yes, by whom?
- 1st or 3rd person perspective?
- will the game be character-driven (like Witcher or Bioware games) or about exploring the setting (like Deus Ex and Bethesda games)?
.

1. It seems like a yes to all three from what little we know of the game. They specifically talked about classes.
2. It's a safe bet. They're not like Bioware, or Obsidian, or even Bethesda who all started out with silent protagonists, then switched. Voiced protags are all the rage these days, I don't think they'd go against that.
3. They've said both but that was back in 2013.
4. All we know of the story is that it will be a "rise to power" structure with "low-level" quests, i.e. you aren't the Chosen One fighting the Ancient Evils.

 

[h.shah]

something says me it's time to leave the matter to CDPR.

We must wait until the released date of "Cyberpunk 2077" (or sometimes later).

We know it's story and gameplay mechanism is completely new.

If they success in two objects, our feeling is relieved about TW4 if it will happen.

The question is: why I said "our feeling is relieved about TW4 if it will happen."?

the answer is lightly as sun:

because we know CDPR use over 95% of the witcher's books during the three witcher games.

So,it's high probability that they create a new story and gameplay mechanisim for TW4.

In that case, as I said, "If they success in two objects, our feeling is relieved about TW4 if it will happen."

Of course their work of creation "TW4" is more comfortable than their work of creation "Cyberpunk 2077"!

Because "TW4" has a pre-story that told during TW1,2,3,but "Cyberpunk 2077" tells us a story from zero without any pre-story.........

 

[ammarmar]

I would not mind if another game took me to some distant lands, barely mentioned in books and games, like Ofir or Zerrikania. Lands where everything is unfamiliar, different monsters, different people, different magic, different politics.

 

[h.shah]

I would not mind if another game took me to some distant lands, barely mentioned in books and games, like Ofir or Zerrikania. Lands where everything is unfamiliar, different monsters, different people, different magic, different politics.

Sounds interesting!:wisegirl:

 

[james.hanso]

I think it will be a huge game with "Ciri" !

 

[SpecialForYou]

Geralt, Geralt and only Geralt!
---
With love from Russia

 

[GhostofAnakin]

I think it will be a huge game with "Ciri" !

I hope not. Her story was told in the Witcher 3. And I'd prefer not to have a prequel.

New witcher, preferably years after the events of the Wild Hunt.

 

[jason.witcher]

I hope not. Her story was told in the Witcher 3. And I'd prefer not to have a prequel.

I don't agree with you.CDPR has said a little story of her....
also she has high potential of storytelling as we saw a little of it in Witcher 3.

 

[Daniel.s]

I believe the story of geralt has not finished.
if CDPR dosen't want to continue series with him they must use him as main npc in next game.
also we don't know much about Ciri.
it's good to see her and geralt in next game again,....JUST we see the game story from Ciri side this time!

 

[Rafaelbw]

Something like Dragon Age Origins, but with a kid you know? Something happens to your dad/mom, a Witcher saves them, law of surprise, and so on, a few years pass, the witcher comes and takes you to whatever school he belongs, and you know the drill.

 

[Eredin_Breacc_Glas]

Geralt is fully described by Sapkowski. The guys from the studio just transferred him into the games with all his attributes and nuances of personality unchanged.

I've got to disagree with you there. To me, the two Geralts are very different characters.

 

[sblantipodi]

Geralt and Ciri for the swords and Yennefer and Triss for the magicians.
It would be awesome.

 

[Timlugia]

I know many here voted "customized character", but I think that's a bad idea from story telling perspective.
A completely customized characters usually mean very little solid background so player can design their own avatar.

It would make character interaction much weaker since you can't apply same as a pre-existed character from the book or previous games, say Lambert, Ciri or Shani.
Think about romances in Skyrim versus in Witchers, the former was surely much weaker.

 

[Thomas999]

I'd love a game about Eskel or another witcher of some lesser-known school. Geralt has annoyed me since the first game by being the famous-best-swordsman-in-the-north-super-duper-ultra-albino-mutant-whom-everyone-admires-and-whose-name-everybody-knows. With amnesia, which somehow completely undercuts the empowerment aspect of his character and just leaves you with enormous shoes from the books that you can't fill. He's just a horrible protagonist on so many levels. Give me a lesser-defined comparatively anonymous but still cool witcher any day. Eskel fits the bill perfectly. And then you might get ANOTHER shot at romancing Triss. It's perfect.

 

[Zafar1981]

If not Geralt than a young Vesemir or new pre defined character. For customization we need to go to barber shop for hair style, facial hairs and also we can dye them.

 

[CiriusBlack]

Customized character could be fun to see. I wonder how many of those might be looking like Geralt