It has been six years since The Witcher 3 released, and while CD Projekt Red (CDPR) has suggested that The Witcher 4 is in development, it could be a while before it's released. Fresh off Cyberpunk 2077, the Polish studio CDPR will be working on multiple AAA games, and one of them could very likely be a new Witcher game.
The Witcher 3 is considered one of the greatest action RPGs of all time, and while the studio didn't quite hit the mark with Cyberpunk 2077, it could make up for it with The Witcher 4. One way to do that is by following the footsteps of BioWare's cult-classic Dragon Age: Origins rather than heading in the direction of Cyberpunk 2077.
Where Cyberpunk 2077 failed
While Cyberpunk 2077 had a multitude of game-breaking issues that made it unplayable on base PS4 and Xbox One models at launch, it had more glaring problems buried beneath its surface-level problems. Cyberpunk 2077 was promised as a deep role-playing experience with extensive character customization and origin storylines. While it delivered on the former's promises, it failed on the latter.
Cyberpunk 2077 offers three life paths - Corpo, Nomad, and Street Kid - each having a unique character origin storyline and branching dialogue options that lead to different gameplay and narrative experiences. In reality, however, these origin storylines aren't as fleshed out as many hoped they would be. For starters, every origin storyline takes barely fifteen minutes to complete, which is, a lot less than the time many players will spend customizing their characters.
Furthermore, choosing any of the lifepaths doesn't necessarily impact the main storyline. Choosing different lifepaths unlocks certain dialogue options that reveal additional information, and in some cases more side quests, but it rarely results in substantial choice. The lack of real consequences from choosing a particular lifepath also doesn't encourage players to replay Cyberpunk 2077 with a different life path.
The promise of adding character classes and extensive origin storylines and then not delivering feels like a major misstep, mostly because of how seldom modern AAA RPGs try to implement those. A huge chunk of modern AAA RPGs tends to avoid class systems, riddled with lengthy character origin storylines that could overcomplicate gameplay. For RPG veterans, the idea of Cyberpunk 2077 modernizing the RPG genre by borrowing one of the most beloved aspects of the classics was exciting, but didn't meet expectations. Interestingly enough, Dragon Age: Origins delivered on Cyberpunk 2077's character origin storyline promises over 10 years ago.
What The Witcher 4 Could Learn from Dragon Age: Origins
In 2009, Dragon Age: Origins was an exemplary example of what a modern RPG should look like. The transition to a third-person camera angle and real-time combat from the traditional isometric view and turn-based combat was the key to making RPGs more accessible to the wider public. Dragon Age: Origins did that without compromising on its RPG roots.
The six origin story arcs of Human Noble, City Elf, Dalish Elf, Magi, Dwarf Commoner, and Dwarf Noble in Dragon Age: Origins have a level of finesse, and while they coincide at the same story junction, the journey up to that point is unique and surprisingly meaty. Every origin storyline delves deep into the background of that particular race, introducing new characters and quests that result in a more organic world tailored to every player's choices. Aside from affecting the class, choosing a background also changes how certain NPCs react to the player, thus resulting in a more immersive and reactive game experience. For instance, in a particular scenario, a city elf character may be ill-treated in comparison to a human noble.
The previous Witcher games had no room for multiple origin storylines that could result in unique NPC interactions and dialogue options, as they featured a pre-defined protagonist: Geralt of Rivia. However, with The Witcher 4, things could change. Geralt's story arc was concluded in The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine, and it's highly unlikely for him to return as the protagonist of the next game.
While Ciri could be the protagonist in The Witcher 4, it could also feature a blank character ripe for customization. The seven distinct Witcher schools -Wolf, Cat, Griffin, Bear, Viper, Manticore, Crane - could easily offer seven uniquely fleshed-out origin storylines.
Previous Witcher games focus on the school of the wolf, with the history of other witcher schools only briefly touched by scavenger hunt questlines in The Witcher 3. Every witcher school has a different background and history. As such, The Witcher 4 has ample opportunity to deliver vastly different experiences to every player depending on their initial choice.
The Witcher 4 is still years away at this point, and it could be a while before players hear or see anything about it. However, CDPR now has the time and experience to deliver on Cyberpunk 2077 promises with The Witcher 4, offering a layered and replayable RPG experience that sets the benchmark for modern RPGs.
The Witcher 4 is rumored to be in development.