Witcher 4 Dev Shares Behind-the-Scenes Prep

A Witcher 4 Genesis: How a Witcher 3 Side Quest Prepared the Development Team

The upcoming Witcher 4, starring Ciri in a new trilogy, had its development subtly kickstarted two years prior to its reveal. A seemingly innocuous side quest added to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt in late 2022, "In the Eternal Fire's Shadow," served as a crucial onboarding experience for new members of the Witcher 4 development team.

This quest, initially conceived as promotion for the game's next-gen update and a way to canonically explain Henry Cavill's Netflix armor, provided a vital stepping stone. Philipp Webber, former quest designer for Witcher 3 and now narrative director for Witcher 4, confirmed this on social media, stating it was "the perfect start to getting back into the vibe." This aligns perfectly with the March 2022 announcement of Witcher 4, approximately nine months before the side quest's release. While pre-announcement planning certainly existed, this quest offers a tangible glimpse into the team's early preparations.

While Webber didn't name specific team members, it's plausible that some transitioned from the Cyberpunk 2077 team, given its 2020 release. This timeline also fuels speculation about potential similarities between Witcher 4's skill tree and Cyberpunk 2077's Phantom Liberty expansion.

The strategic use of "In the Eternal Fire's Shadow" highlights CD Projekt Red's deliberate approach to team integration and the subtle, yet impactful, ways they laid the groundwork for their next major title. The quest acted as more than just an in-game addition; it served as a crucial initiation, seamlessly blending team building with early development phases.