Highlights

  • The Witcher series captivates fans with its rich world and powerful spells, centered around Geralt.
  • The Witcher 4 promises new stories and areas, exploring different timelines and combat tactics.
  • Deviating from original lore, The Witcher 4 can introduce new signs and new characters in uncharted territory.

The Witcher series, developed by CD Projekt Red, is a cult favorite for a reason: the games in the series have featured some of the most fleshed-out worlds in RPG history. The Witcher's Geralt has always been at the heart of this series, as the eyes that players see the world of the Northern Kingdoms with. Apart from providing intricate storylines filled with political intrigue, the games in the series have fulfilled power fantasies for millions of fans by providing powerful spells.

With The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt bringing Geralt’s story to a close, The Witcher 4 is primed to take the story away from his point of view. Longtime fans of the series will finally be able to explore new areas and stories, especially those that take place at a different point in the timeline, whether it’s years before the rest of the games, or years after Blood and Wine, the last entry in the series chronologically. With the new freedom allotted to the sequel, The Witcher could flesh out the combat even more in the fourth installment by introducing new signs without interfering with the pre-established lore.

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How The Witcher 4 Can Reimagine Signs

Signs are an integral gameplay element that only got further refined with each sequel to the original Witcher. Whether it’s the Igni sign that Geralt uses to spew fire at his enemies, or Aard, which is akin to a force push, signs have always served as a powerful way to shake up the core gameplay and combat system. The Witcher 4 can push this further by introducing more signs and tactics to counter enemies — either by using different elements like air and ice that are yet to be used, or using them in dialogue options, something that The Witcher 3 dabbled in but never committed to.

More Signs Are Slightly Difficult to Incorporate While Staying Religiously True to the Lore

The Witcher originated as a series of high-fantasy novels written by Andrzej Sapkowski, and the original books still form a basis for most of the lore. In this universe, Witchers have been around for hundreds of years, with their own code and sets of rules. Signs are important tools that Witchers use, and as a master Witcher, Geralt knew how to use all of the signs that the Witchers before him were able to develop. However, this is exactly what makes it difficult to add more signs to the storyline, at least as long as one stays in line with the lore.

How The Witcher 4 Can Blaze Its Own Path

The Witcher 4 doesn’t need to remain beholden to the lore and rules that guided its predecessors. Now that Geralt’s story has been completed, the sequel will bring its story to a new protagonist, and perhaps a new setting too. This is important because the new story could take place in an entirely different time, either before or after the rest of the games, either showing older signs that were discovered and developed by ancient Witchers before being forgotten or by featuring a never-before-seen Witcher creating their own signs to use against enemies. With the latest School of the Lynx teaser image, this has become a complete possibility, as Lynx hails from fan-fiction rather than official Witcher canon.

This freedom in playing with the setting and the timeline could be a great way to branch out from the other established parts of the franchise, too. The series has largely focused on a few key characters and storylines throughout its history, including that of the Nilfgaardian Empire. The Witcher 4 could introduce players to new kingdoms, empires, and lands, giving CD Projekt Red the freedom to create a world entirely of their own making that maintains enough of the original lore to branch out without making any major contradictions.