Highlights
- Cyberpunk 2077's missed opportunity is not a major issue, but a disappointment for fans of CD Projekt Red's The Witcher series.
- The connection between Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher 3 through the character Ciri was hinted at but not fully realized.
- Adding Ciri to Cyberpunk 2077's sequel through a side quest would be a low-risk, high-reward move that could expand the lore of both franchises.
Cyberpunk 2077 has realized much of its potential, especially after its numerous updates and the release of its DLC, but there is one missed opportunity that its sequel needs to capitalize on. While this missed opportunity isn't one of the biggest issues with Cyberpunk 2077, it's definitely a disappointment for many players, especially those who are fans of CD Projekt Red's The Witcher series.
Before Cyberpunk 2077, Polish developer CD Projekt Red was known for The Witcher trilogy, which took a decidedly different approach to game design and setting. The Witcher takes place in a fantasy world, featuring twisted or reinterpreted versions of traditional creatures and fables. This setting has a significant effect on both story and gameplay, with a greater focus naturally being placed on fantasy elements like monsters and magic. Cyberpunk 2077, by contrast, is much more grounded despite its obvious embellishments and creative liberties. While Cyberpunk 2077 characters can wield powerful implants and quickhacks that are effectively similar to magic, Night City is meant to be interpreted as a plausible future for humanity, albeit one that was initially envisioned in the 1980s.
CD Projekt Red Should Connect Cyberpunk 2077's Sequel to The Witcher Through Ciri
Although the settings may be worlds apart, The Witcher and Cyberpunk 2077 could be connected by one iconic character: Ciri. In The Witcher 3, Ciri regales Geralt with tales of her dimension-hopping adventures and at one point describes a world that sounds rather similar to Night City or another location in the Cyberpunk 2077 universe. She speaks of a land where "people had metal in their heads, waged war from a distance, using things similar to megascopes. And there were no horses, everyone had their own flying ship instead".
Many players assumed this quote heralded a connection between Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher 3. While the world that Ciri describes is somewhat generic as far as futurist science-fiction tropes are concerned, it seems unlikely that such a blatant parallel between the two IPs would have been a mere coincidence. Development on Cyberpunk 2077 began a year after The Witcher 3 launched, but CD Projekt Red was planning to develop the former at least two years before it released the latter, so the developers would likely have had the sci-fi IP front-of-mind when including this exchange with Ciri. Alas, no connection to Ciri, outside a brief Easter egg photograph, has been found in Cyberpunk 2077.
It's going to be a while before Cyberpunk 2077's sequel releases, but CD Projekt Red should at least consider featuring Ciri in a more meaningful way. The reference to Cyberpunk 2077 in The Witcher 3 is glaring, and CD Projekt Red could score easy points with The Witcher fans by completing the circle and confirming a long-standing fan theory about Ciri's trip to Night City. Ciri doesn't have to be part of the main story, or even play a significant role, but a small side quest where players can interact with her, gain some insight into her emotional state, and see what she thinks of the futuristic world, would be more than just good fan service; it would help expand the mystery and lore of both The Witcher and Cyberpunk universes.
Fans have requested a number of features for Cyberpunk 2077's sequel, but adding Ciri would be relatively easy. It wouldn't require the implementation of any new systems or mechanics, and relegating her to a side quest would give the writers more freedom and help them avoid any tricky logic or continuity issues. In other words, the risk of adding Ciri to the game is low, while the potential reward is high, as it could satisfy The Witcher 3 fans while still being interesting for those unfamiliar with the franchise.
Cyberpunk 2077 is currently available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.