A Witcher 4 Genesis: How a Witcher 3 Side Quest Prepared the Team
The development of The Witcher 4, featuring Ciri in the lead role for a new trilogy, began surprisingly with a seemingly unrelated quest in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. This revelation comes from Philipp Webber, narrative director for The Witcher 4 and former quest designer for The Witcher 3.
Two years prior to the Witcher 4's official announcement, the "In the Eternal Fire's Shadow" side quest was added to Witcher 3. While ostensibly promoting the game's next-gen update and providing in-game justification for Henry Cavill's Netflix armor, Webber reveals its true purpose: onboarding new team members. This quest served as an initiation, allowing newcomers to immerse themselves in the Witcher universe and its development process before tackling the ambitious Witcher 4 project.
Webber describes this approach as "the perfect start to getting back into the vibe," perfectly aligning with the Witcher 4's March 2022 announcement. While pre-announcement planning undoubtedly existed, this side quest provides a concrete starting point for the team's creative journey.
While Webber remains tight-lipped about specific individuals, speculation points to potential transfers from CD Projekt Red's Cyberpunk 2077 team (released in 2020). This timeline also fuels theories about The Witcher 4 potentially incorporating a Phantom Liberty-style skill tree, a feature potentially influenced by the experiences of these newly integrated developers. The "In the Eternal Fire's Shadow" quest, therefore, wasn't just a minor addition to Witcher 3; it was a crucial stepping stone in the creation of its highly anticipated sequel.
