CD Projekt Red has acknowledged a long-running The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt meme regarding Yennefer's room key in the game's next-gen update. The Witcher 3 is a complex RPG filled with rich characters and traditional gameplay mechanics. These things can often interact in curious ways, which fans latch onto for ridiculous and often hilarious memes. The Witcher 3 is no different, in this regard, but it's nonetheless surprising for CD Projekt Red acknowledge and even join in on a meme.
In The Witcher 3, arriving in Skellige as part of the RPG's story leads to Yennefer giving Geralt a key to her room so that he can change his clothes. Yennefer is a sorceress of some renown, is nearly 100 years old by the time The Witcher 3 takes place, and is Geralt's on-again/off-again love and a mother figure for Ciri. Given the two's intimate relationship, it's nothing odd for Yennefer to give Geralt the key. The internet did laugh, however, to see that the key to Yennefer's room was listed as "Common" quality in-game, perhaps implying that Geralt's relationship with Yennefer wasn't so special after all.
While it's possible that CD Projekt Red also thought making Yennefer's room key Common was a funny joke, implying Yennefer has a healthy sex life beyond Geralt, the truth is that there are dozens of keys in The Witcher 3 and all of them are Common quality. In other words, the meme about Yennefer's room key is entirely community-created. That's now changed, however, with a change to Yennefer's room key making clear that CD Projekt Red is well aware of the jokes players are telling.
Following the recent next-gen update for The Witcher 3, the key to Yennefer's room is no longer Common quality. It has been upgraded to Relic quality, the highest quality of item in The Witcher 3 other than upgradable Green gear for witchers.
Whereas before key quality in The Witcher 3 was simply a game mechanic with no intentional implications, upgrading the key to Relic quality makes clear that CD Projekt Red is saying something with the change. That message is that Yennefer doesn't give a key to just anyone. Geralt is privileged to receive it. After all, Yennefer is a powerful sorcerer and could have all manner of spells and powerful objects in her room. It would be dangerous to let just anyone in.
Fans shouldn't read too much into the change. It's just CD Projekt Red embracing a silly meme within the community and having fun with it themselves. It's a game where players are able to role-play a relationship between Geralt and Yennefer that culminates atop a stuffed unicorn, after all.
The Witcher 3 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
