"Witcher 4 Director Denies Changes to Ciri's Face"

The director of *The Witcher 4* has provided clarity on a new video that features the same in-game model of Ciri, dispelling rumors that her appearance had been altered following fan feedback. CD Projekt recently released a behind-the-scenes look at *The Witcher 4*'s cinematic reveal trailer, showcasing two brief clips at the 2:11 and 5:47 marks that zoom in on Ciri's face. These moments sparked discussions among fans, with many noting a slight difference in Ciri's facial features compared to her appearance in the cinematic reveal trailer. Some fans even praised the look at the 5:47 mark as a "perfect representation of a slightly older Ciri," expressing their satisfaction with her appearance.

Ciri at 2:11 in the new Witcher 4 video. Image credit: CD Projekt.

Initial speculation arose from a segment of the internet that felt Ciri looked "ugly" in *The Witcher 4* based on the reveal trailer, prompting some to suggest that CD Projekt might have changed her face in response to this "backlash." However, *The Witcher 4* game director Sebastian Kalemba took to social media to clarify that no changes had been made to Ciri's in-game model. He explained that the behind-the-scenes video showed raw footage of Ciri without the cinematic enhancements like facial animation, lighting, or virtual camera lenses, which were applied in the reveal trailer.

"The behind-the-scenes video features the same in-game model of Ciri as seen in the original trailer," Kalemba stated. "We have not modified it. What you're seeing is raw footage — without facial animation, lighting, or virtual camera lenses. While it's still in-engine, it represents a work-in-progress snapshot taken before we applied cinematic touches for the purpose of that video. This variation is a natural part of the game development process. At this point, any character's appearance may vary depending on the medium — whether it's in a trailer, a 3D model, or in-game."

Ciri at 5:47 in the new Witcher 4 video. Image credit: CD Projekt.

*The Witcher 4* marks the beginning of a new trilogy set after the events of *The Witcher 3*, with Ciri taking the spotlight as the protagonist instead of Geralt. In an exclusive interview with IGN, executive producer Małgorzata Mitręga explained why Ciri was chosen as the lead character, emphasizing her depth and importance in the saga. "It was always about her, starting from Saga when you read it in the books. She's an amazing, layered character. And of course, as a protagonist we said goodbye to Geralt previously. So this is a continuation. I guess for all of us it's like she was meant to be. That was always her."

Kalemba added that Ciri's younger age offers players more freedom to shape her character and allows the developers to delve deeper into her story. Despite potential backlash from some fans about Ciri's role, both Mitręga and Kalemba reaffirmed that she was always intended to be the protagonist. Kalemba highlighted the deliberate nature of this decision, stating, "There was an intention behind this choice. It was far from roulette. It wasn't random. I remember we had discussions nine years ago, we were talking about who's next? The very, very instant answer was Ciri. There are many reasons behind that. We've already mentioned a few. But she really deserves a stage and we want players to really experience her story because she has so much to tell, so much to prove. The amount of challenges that are in front of her give us so much amazing energy and fuel to create an epic saga that we had no choice but to go with it. We all felt that this is the way. I believe this is the super right choice."

Ciri in one shot from the official The Witcher 4 cinematic reveal trailer. Image credit: CD Projekt.

In a separate interview with IGN about Netflix's upcoming animated film, *The Witcher: Sirens of The Deep*, Geralt voice actor Doug Cockle expressed his support for CD Projekt's decision to focus on Ciri. "I'm really excited," he said. "I think it's a really good move. I mean, I always thought that continuing the Saga, but shifting to Ciri would be a really, really interesting move for all kinds of reasons, but mostly because of things that happen in the books, which I don't want to give away because people, I want people to go read. So yeah, I think it's really exciting. I can't wait. I can't wait to see what they've done."

For more insights into *The Witcher 4*, check out our exclusive trailer breakdown and an interview with CD Projekt where they discuss how they plan to avoid a *Cyberpunk 2077*-style launch disaster.