Doug Cockle, the voice actor behind Geralt in The Witcher series, has passionately defended the decision to feature Ciri as the protagonist in the upcoming The Witcher 4. Responding to criticism labeling the move as "woke," Cockle dismissed the backlash as "stupid" during a video interview with Fall Damage.
"It's not woke," Cockle emphasized, highlighting Ciri's established role within the Witcher universe. "She's a cool character from The Witcher, and they're gonna focus on that character, and that's awesome."
While Cockle will reprise his role as Geralt in The Witcher 4, the spotlight will shift to Ciri, Geralt's adoptive daughter. This decision, announced last year, stirred controversy among a vocal minority online, who accused the series of going "woke."
Cockle argued for the necessity of evolving the series beyond Geralt's narrative, stating, "We can't just have Geralt for every single game for The Witcher ad nauseam, out through eternity. We've seen the end of Geralt's journey. Blood and Wine was supposed to wrap up that journey."
Celebrating Ciri's new role, Cockle said, "I celebrate Ciri. I celebrate her being the protagonist. So all you people who think it's woke... [blows raspberry]."
He further justified the narrative direction by referencing the original Witcher novels by Andrzej Sapkowski. "If you read the books, then you understand why CD Projekt went down this avenue," Cockle explained. He pointed out the untapped potential in Ciri's storyline, which was only hinted at in The Witcher 3 due to the focus on Geralt.
Encouraging critics to delve into the source material, Cockle remarked, "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, while set after the conclusion of Sapkowski's novels, have always maintained a connection to the original works. Sapkowski himself has acknowledged Ciri's importance, aligning with CD Projekt's vision to explore her story further.
For those eager to see more, The Witcher IV Game Awards Trailer Screenshots offer a glimpse into the upcoming game:
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IGN previously explored the narrative continuity with CD Projekt's franchise and lore designers, confirming the logical progression of the series' timeline with Ciri taking center stage.
