Doug Cockle, the iconic voice behind Geralt in The Witcher series, has robustly defended CD Projekt's decision to center The Witcher 4 around Ciri, dismissing detractors with a firm stance. In a video released by Fall Damage, Cockle addressed the backlash head-on, stating, "That's just stupid," in response to claims that the game's focus on Ciri is "woke."
Cockle emphasized that Ciri's prominence in the upcoming game is not about pushing a political agenda but rather a natural progression of the narrative. "It's not woke," he clarified. "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 understands the necessity for new narratives beyond his character. "We can't just have Geralt for every single game for The Witcher ad nauseam, out through eternity," he remarked, pointing out that Geralt's journey was meant to conclude with Blood and Wine. He expressed enthusiasm for Ciri's role, saying, "I celebrate Ciri. I celebrate her being the protagonist. So all you people who think it's woke... [blows raspberry]."
Cockle also highlighted the literary roots of the decision, urging fans to delve into Andrzej Sapkowski's original novels. "If you read the books, then you understand why CD Projekt went down this avenue," he explained. "There's a whole rich world of stuff to explore with Ciri, that they didn't do when they put her into Witcher 3, because the story was about Geralt. But she hints at it."
He encouraged skeptics to reconsider their views through the lens of the source material: "If you think it's woke, read the damn books — they're good, first of all. And secondly, you won't think it's so woke anymore."
The Witcher games are set in a timeline loosely following Sapkowski's novels, with the author maintaining a distance from the video game adaptations. However, both Sapkowski and CD Projekt recognize Ciri's importance, allowing her to take the lead when Geralt steps back.
For a deeper understanding of the timeline and Geralt's role in The Witcher 4, IGN's previous discussions with CD Projekt's franchise and lore designers, Cian Maher and Marcin Batylda, provide insightful context.
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