Ever since the release of the hugely popular The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt in 2015, fans of CD Projekt Red's critically acclaimed series have been clamoring for another installment. There may have been spin-offs, like Gwent: The Witcher Card Game, but players have had to wait a few years for another mainline entry into the Witcher series. It looks like they may have to wait for a few more, as even though the next installment in The Witcher franchise was confirmed to be in development in March of this year, not much is known about it.
During the reveal, CD Projekt Red did announce that it will be the start of a new Witcher saga, which has led to a fair amount of fan speculation. Details remain thin on the ground, but this hasn't stopped players from theorizing about which characters may or may not return, or where and when the story might take place. The developer has kept its cards close to its chest, but the additional reveal of the School of the Lynx medallion has fueled rumors about a step away from the School of the Wolf altogether.
Moving On From The School Of The Wolf
The School of the Wolf has had a prominent place in the Witcher franchise ever since the first game. As the school is associated with integral characters like Geralt and Vesemir, it's undoubtedly the Witcher school that players spend the most time with and know the most about. While the world of the Witcher games (and beyond) does feature a vast array of other schools, each with their own philosophy and training style, none of them come close to the School of the Wolf in terms of screen time and focus. In fact, some are barely mentioned at all and remain as little-referenced mysteries. While the school of the Wolf is a popular element in the Witcher series because of its character associations, many players feel like it's time to move away from it.
It seems as if CD Projekt Red agrees, if its statement about the start of a new saga is a sign of its intentions to follow a very different and completely new path. Geralt was a great protagonist, but if the new game wants to move on from him and his companions, then leaving behind the School of the Wolf as well just makes sense. The image of the medallion belonging to the School of the Lynx seems to confirm this new direction and could lead to many intriguing story possibilities. While the School of the Lynx does appear in some non-canon fan-made content set in the Witcher universe, it has not made an appearance in a game before and could be used in a number of interesting ways.
A New Direction
While there are many fans who would be sad to leave Geralt and the School of the Wolf behind, a new story centered on a new school might need to cut ties with them in order to forge its own path. There are plenty of other existing Witcher schools that could be explored in more detail, like the intriguing School of the Cat or the old-fashioned School of the Griffin, and the next Witcher game already has plenty of narratively-rich material to work with outside the School of the Wolf. But introducing a completely new school could mean that other schools will also be created for the next installment, removing the next Witcher title even more from its predecessors.
With a potential new protagonist and a new school (or schools), some are speculating that the upcoming Witcher game will be set in a time far removed from Geralt's own. The Witcher 3 and its DLC conclude Geralt's story in a fairly satisfying way, and it would make sense to explore different areas and time periods with a new main character, so the game can set itself apart from the previous installment. A jump either backward or forwards in time would handily achieve this and would present players with something fresh as well.
Whether or not the next Witcher game follows more closely to the trilogy, it is definitely time to leave the School of the Wolf behind and let another Witcher school enter the spotlight. Whether this is just the School of the Lynx, or perhaps a number of new Witcher schools remains to be seen, but a step away from the School of the Wolf would be a step in the right direction.
A new Witcher game is currently in development.