Doug Cockle, the iconic voice behind Geralt in CD Projekt's The Witcher series, has passionately defended the decision to center The Witcher 4 around Ciri. Amidst criticism labeling the move as "woke," Cockle firmly dismissed such claims, emphasizing Ciri's integral role within the franchise.
"That's just stupid," Cockle stated about the backlash, speaking in a video by Fall Damage. He clarified, "It's not woke. There's nothing woke about it. [Ciri]'s a cool character from The Witcher, and they're gonna focus on that character, and that's awesome."
Despite his return as Geralt in The Witcher 4, Cockle supports the shift in focus to Ciri, who will take the lead role in the upcoming game and potentially the entire next trilogy. He argued against the notion of endlessly featuring Geralt, pointing out that "Blood and Wine was supposed to wrap up that journey."
Cockle celebrated Ciri's new role, saying, "I celebrate Ciri. I celebrate her being the protagonist. So all you people who think it's woke... [blows raspberry]."
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Cockle also highlighted a narrative justification for Ciri's prominence, rooted in Andrzej Sapkowski's original novels. "If you read the books, then you understand why CD Projekt went down this avenue," he explained. He praised the books, suggesting that those critical of the game's direction should delve into Sapkowski's work to appreciate the depth of Ciri's character and story.
CD Projekt's games extend the timeline beyond Sapkowski's novels, which concluded with a definitive ending for its characters. However, both Sapkowski and CD Projekt recognize Ciri's importance and her readiness to carry the narrative forward.
IGN previously explored Geralt's return in The Witcher 4 with CD Projekt's franchise and lore designers, Cian Maher and Marcin Batylda, who clarified how the established timeline accommodates this development.
