Geralt Actor Dismisses 'Woke' Claims for Ciri-Led Witcher 4

Doug Cockle, the iconic voice behind Geralt in The Witcher series, has strongly responded to the backlash against The Witcher 4 focusing on Ciri as its protagonist. In a video by Fall Damage, Cockle dismissed the criticism, calling it "stupid" and rejecting claims that the shift to Ciri is "woke."

"It's not woke," Cockle emphasized. "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 reprising his role as Geralt in The Witcher 4, Cockle supports the move to feature Ciri at the forefront, acknowledging that Geralt's journey has concluded with Blood and Wine. "We can't just have Geralt for every single game for The Witcher ad nauseam, out through eternity," he explained, celebrating Ciri's new role as the protagonist.

Cockle also pointed out that the decision to focus on Ciri is deeply rooted in the original novels by Andrzej Sapkowski. He urged critics to "read the damn books," highlighting the rich narrative potential surrounding Ciri that was hinted at but not fully explored in The Witcher 3.

The shift to Ciri aligns with Sapkowski's vision, as both the author and CD Projekt recognize her as a pivotal character ready to take the lead when Geralt steps back. This narrative choice not only respects the source material but also opens up new storytelling avenues for the franchise.

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IGN has previously delved into the return of Geralt in The Witcher 4 with CD Projekt's franchise and lore designers, who clarified how the timeline fits within the established universe.