Doug Cockle, voice actor behind Geralt of Rivia, has something to say to so-called fans of the series who complainThe Witcher 4has “gone woke”. The sequel is the first game in the series to feature a woman as its main and only protagonist. In a narrative choice apparently surprising to some fans of the series, Geralt’s adoptive daughter Ciri is stepping into the spotlight after her major role inThe Witcher 3. These fans made their discontent apparent whenThe Witcher 4was announced at The Game Awards, spamming the chat with “woke” - used here as a pejorative.
But in a video interview withFall Damage(viaIGN), Geralt’s voice actor, Doug Cockle, had words for players who complained about this development: “That’s just stupid. It’s not woke. There’s nothing woke about it.It’s a cool character from The Witcher, and they’re going to focus on that character.I think that’s awesome.” He goes on to talk a bit about Ciri’s role inThe Witchernovel series, which, he points out, is underexplored in the games. He ends by encouraging anyone who complains about Ciri replacing Geralt to “read the damn books - they’re good, first of all.”
Ciri Is An Essential Witcher Character
Doug Cockle Makes A Good Point
Cockle makes a great point here: although lots of game-only fans reduce her to her relatively minor role inThe Witcher 3,Ciri’s actually a pretty important character in both the books and TV series, and there’s a lot in her story that’s ripe for adaptation into a video game. There are many directionsThe Witcher 4could take: it could play off the elder blood, or her visions and prophecies. It could make use of her incredible magical power, which stems not only from her genetic propensity, but also her extensive training with Geralt and Yennefer.
Honestly, though,you don’t even have to look that far to see why Ciri makes a good protagonist. She’s an interesting, well-written character inThe Witcher 3alone, and, although she isn’t quite as fun as Geralt in her playable sections, she’s an important part of her overall story.
If it decides to incorporatecloser ties to the earlier games,The Witcher 4could really delve into the various ways Ciri has to build on and answer for Geralt’s legacy. But honestly, it doesn’t even have to: it could just as easily create an original story using the gaps inherent in our knowledge of Ciri’s life, perhaps looking back at her largely anonymous childhood.
Our Take: The Witcher Can Move On From Geralt
It’s Ciri’s Time To Shine
Later in his interview, Doug Cockle also accurately points out that “we can’t just have Geralt for every single game.” Geralt’s getting old - his aging, and the impendingneed for him to settle down, step into the background, and let a younger generation take over, is an overarching theme ofThe Witcher 3.Blood and Wine, the last expansionforThe Witcher 3, was intended to put an end to his story, and, at least from a narrative perspective, does an excellent job of doing so.
I realize that longtime fans of the series will miss playing as Geralt - I certainly will on some level, too. But to call any and every game with a protagonist who’s not a straight, white man “woke” is ridiculous. The fact of the matter is that when game series go on long enough, they sometimes need to swap protagonists. It’s a matter of practicality, and can even help keep a series from stagnating over time.The Witcherfinds itself in that situation now, and with her immense magical power and wide-ranging connections to lore, really, who’s better to head upThe Witcher 4than Ciri?
