Highlights

  • The Witcher 4 could break tradition by introducing a new protagonist with a unique fighting style and potentially abandoning the classic dual-sword formula.
  • The Witcher 4 has the potential to bring major changes to the franchise, such as exploring prequel stories, introducing exciting new abilities, and offering a fresh take on established gameplay.

The Witcher 4 is set to be the latest entry in CD Projekt Red’s influential RPG series that has defined much of the last few generations of video games. As Geralt’s story has seemingly drawn to a close after his exploits in The Witcher 3 and its DLCs, many fans are eagerly anticipating the new direction the series will go in. The devs in charge have the opportunity to make sweeping changes never seen before in the series, including introducing a new protagonist or taking the series lore in a new direction.

A core tenet of the Witcher series thus far is that the titular Witchers, who are essentially highly trained warriors that hunt monsters for contracts and carry two swords with them at all times. This information was first established in the books written by Andrzej Sapkowski and remains consistent in every installment in the Witcher trilogy. However, the upcoming sequel, The Witcher 4, could shake things up by ditching this established rule in favor of newer and fresher mechanics, primarily because the classic dual-wield swords seen throughout the Witcher games are, at this point, strongly associated with Geralt. A new protagonist should ideally establish a unique fighting style and therefore they may have to drop the two-sword formula.

The Witcher 4 Project Polaris mockup logo teaser GR
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What A Single Sword Could Look Like In The Witcher 4

Ditching this rule could be useful from a stylistic point of view if CDPR chooses to introduce a new protagonist with an entirely different personality and fighting style. This could be achieved by changing the possible time period in The Witcher 4, taking the story far in the past when the use of a separate steel and silver sword had not been made popular for Witchers, or far in the future when the traditional teachings of the Witcher school have either been forgotten or developed further.

In the Witcher universe, steel swords work better against humans and animals, while silver swords are effective against monsters. The Witcher 4 could introduce a new class of weapons, powered by magic or signs that empower them to fight against monsters and humans alike. In addition to differentiating a potential new protagonist from Geralt, this change could streamline gameplay as well since players would focus on upgrading and refining one powerful weapon instead of two.

Swords Have a Major Impact on the Witcher Franchise’s Gameplay

As an RPG series, games in the Witcher franchise have always prioritized finding better loot in the form of weapons and armor. Special swords can be found and collected as quest rewards in TheWitcher or hidden items at the end of dungeons, for instance.

Plus, each installment offers upgrades that are integral to the main quest. However, since the player is expected to carry two swords at any time, the process of upgrading and repairing these swords takes double the time. A sequel with just one sword or an emphasis on another singular kind of weapon would not only optimize this mechanic but also add exciting new dynamics to it.

Other Major Changes The Witcher 4 Could Make

As the next installment in the franchise and the start of a new saga in the series, The Witcher 4 could blaze its own path by changing the story and gameplay established in prior games in meaningful ways. A prequel story could take a look at important figures in the lore that were never fully explored in the trilogy of games or The Witcher's vast source material of books. This way, perhaps, players can learn more about Witchers in Witcher lore and what makes them tick.

More exciting abilities can be introduced, too, like all-new signs that have never appeared in the preceding games. These signs could have been developed in the years between The Witcher 3's ending and the start of The Witcher 4 if the latter takes place far in the future. Whatever the case may be, CD Projekt Red is likely to bring a new take for the established franchise — one that will leave an impact for years to come.