In 2015, CD Projekt Red's The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt wowed players and critics alike for its fantastically realized setting, mature storytelling, and engaging RPG design that brought the IP's creator and author, Andrzej Sapkowski's dark fantasy world to life like never before. Although the two previous titles were well-received, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt raised the bar for open-world narrative games and remains one of the most highly rated entries in the genre. CDPR is now deeper into production on the upcoming entry, The Witcher 4, and has been showing off more of what it holds in store for fans since its first reveal at The Game Awards last December.
One of the major new directions is that the fourth installment will see Ciri take on the role of expert monster hunter, assumingly inheriting her adopted father Geralt of Rivia's profession and carrying on the legacy of ridding The Continent of the dangerous creatures that stalk the land and prey on its inhabitants. In and of itself, the premise already promises a notable switch and opens up a realm of possibilities. But beyond this, an event that occurred during The Wild Hunt's climatic series of quests could lead to even more sweeping changes in The Witcher 4.
According to CD Projekt Red, The Witcher 4 is not planned to be released before 2027.
Rumor: The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt Could Be Getting More DLC
A new rumor suggests that CD Projekt Red may be working on a secret project to deliver additional DLC content for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
The Second Conjunction of the Spheres Seen at the End of Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Could Open the Door to a Whole New World in The Witcher 4
The Conjunction of the Spheres in The Witcher Was the Spark That Started it All
The first Conjunction of the Spheres was the defining event of The Witcher's world. Nearly a millennium and a half before Geralt of Rivia began his journeys in the novels and later game adaptations, the setting experienced a sort of multiversal/multidimensional merging. The Conjunction was a cataclysmic incident that ripped reality apart, allowing all kinds of creatures to flood into the world and become permanent residents. While some of these beings were intelligent and peaceful, many were of a much more viscerally menacing nature. This subsequently upended the balance of society, creating the need for selected humans to undergo the harsh Trials of the Grasses process to become Witchers capable of battling these imposing otherworldly foes.
Such was the situation informing Geralt's training and his storied adventures. Near the final stretch of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, as Geralt and Ciri desperately travel through various alternate worlds chasing down the villain Eredin, King of the Wild Hunt himself, they come across what clearly appears to be another Conjunction that is starting to form. Though the full consequences aren't quite shown, and it's been left open so far as to what this might mean, it heavily suggests that The Continent may be in for another rough time in The Witcher 4.
How The Witcher 4 Could Be Taking Wild Hunt's Conjunction of the Spheres and Running With it
While the full ramifications of this apparent Second Conjunction are currently unclear, based on the established lore and knowledge of the first, it implies a whole new host of deadly and disturbing monsters are about to descend on The Continent. Previously unfamiliar ones have already been glimpsed in footage for The Witcher 4. Perhaps by the start of the new game, it's been some time since the Second Conjunction, and Ciri has taken it upon herself to continue Geralt's work and lessons by eliminating these new threats and protecting innocents from the danger they pose.
The Second Conjunction thus could be the basis of Ciri's efforts in The Witcher 4 against monsters both new and old. This might also mean players will be able to potentially travel to other worlds in order to take the fight back to the monsters' home turf, or as part of a greater plot to prevent another Conjunction from happening again. Either way, it seems very possible that the Conjunction seen in The Wild Hunt could come into play in a big way to shape many of The Witcher 4's major aspects.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 93 /100 Critics Rec: 95%
- Released
- May 19, 2015
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Use of Alcohol, Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content
- Developer(s)
- CD Projekt Red
- Publisher(s)
- CD Projekt Red
- Engine
- REDengine 3
- Cross-Platform Play
- yes
- Cross Save
- yes
