Fans of *The Witcher* series were given a closer look at Ciri's in-game model in a recent behind-the-scenes video for *The Witcher 4*. Released by CD Projekt, the video showcases two brief clips at the 2:11 and 5:47 marks, zooming in on Ciri's face as the camera rotates around her. These moments sparked discussions among fans, with some noting a slight difference in Ciri's facial appearance compared to the cinematic reveal trailer. One fan even praised the 5:47 clip, calling it a "perfect representation of a slightly older Ciri," and expressing satisfaction with her updated look.
Speculation arose that CD Projekt might have altered Ciri's appearance in response to negative feedback about her look in the initial reveal trailer. However, *The Witcher 4* game director Sebastian Kalemba took to social media to clarify that no changes had been made to Ciri's in-game model. He explained that the behind-the-scenes footage was raw, without the cinematic enhancements like facial animation, lighting, and virtual camera lenses that were applied in the reveal trailer.
"The behind-the-scenes video features the same in-game model of Ciri as seen in the original trailer," Kalemba stated. "We have not modified it. What you’re seeing is raw footage — without facial animation, lighting, or virtual camera lenses. While it’s still in-engine, it represents a work-in-progress snapshot taken before we applied cinematic touches for the purpose of that video. This variation is a natural part of the game development process. At this point, any character's appearance may vary depending on the medium — whether it’s in a trailer, a 3D model, or in-game."
*The Witcher 4* marks the beginning of a new trilogy set after the events of *The Witcher 3*, with Ciri taking the lead role instead of Geralt. In an exclusive interview with IGN, executive producer Małgorzata Mitręga emphasized that Ciri was a natural choice for the protagonist, citing her depth and the narrative continuity from the books. "It was always about her, starting from Saga when you read it in the books. She's an amazing, layered character. And of course, as a protagonist we said goodbye to Geralt previously. So this is a continuation. I guess for all of us it’s like she was meant to be. That was always her."
Kalemba added that Ciri's younger age compared to Geralt allows for greater player freedom in shaping her character, offering developers more room to explore her story. Despite potential backlash from some fans about Ciri's role, both Mitręga and Kalemba affirmed that Ciri was always intended to be the main character. "There was an intention behind this choice," Kalemba said. "It was far from roulette. It wasn't random. I remember we had discussions nine years ago, we were talking about who's next? The very, very instant answer was Ciri. There are many reasons behind that. We've already mentioned a few. But she really deserves a stage and we want players to really experience her story because she has so much to tell, so much to prove. The amount of challenges that are in front of her give us so much amazing energy and fuel to create an epic saga that we had no choice but to go with it. We all felt that this is the way. I believe this is the super right choice."
In a separate interview with IGN about Netflix's upcoming animated film, *The Witcher: Sirens of The Deep*, Geralt's voice actor Doug Cockle expressed his support for CD Projekt's decision to focus on Ciri. "I'm really excited," he said. "I think it's a really good move. I mean, I always thought that continuing the Saga, but shifting to Ciri would be a really, really interesting move for all kinds of reasons, but mostly because of things that happen in the books, which I don't want to give away because people, I want people to go read. So yeah, I think it's really exciting. I can't wait. I can't wait to see what they've done."
For more insights into *The Witcher 4*, check out our exclusive content, including a detailed trailer breakdown and an interview with CD Projekt discussing how they plan to avoid a *Cyberpunk 2077*-style launch disaster.
