The Witcheris reaching new levels of popularity thanks to the content being produced on Netflix. WhileThe Witchernovels remain excellent for fans of the fantasy genre, not everyone is a reader. Likewise, though many seeThe Witcher 3: Wild Huntas one of the best RPG experiences in gaming, not everyone is gamer. As such, the idea to create a proper television adaptation ofThe Witchermakes sense, and the Netflix series has done a fine job of adapting the narrative seen in the novels.
However, Netflix is expanding itsWitcheruniverse beyond just the books, as a prequel series was greenlit alongside an anime. That anime has since released, withThe Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolfnow able to be viewed on Netflix. ThisWitcheranime is reviewing wellwith fans and critics alike, and it is doing so without featuring Geralt as its leading man. While many will always see the Butcher of Blaviken as their Witcher,Nightmare of The Wolfproves that strong stories can be told in that universe without Geralt at the helm. As such, CD Projekt Red should take inspiration, moving away from the concept of Geralt as the playable character.
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Why The Witcher 3 Should Remain The End Of Geralt’s Arc
CD Projekt Red has previously implied thatThe Witcher 3: Wild Huntmay be the end of Geralt’s story, and for good reason. The narrative gives him an excellent sendoff regardless of the choices the player makes on their journey. Eventhe bad ending forThe Witcher 3feels complete and fits the world, and it provides a definitive ending for Geralt’s story just like the more lighthearted endings. The game puts plenty of emphasis on Geralt settling down after the main game and its expansions, and players deserve to have the choices they made asGeralt respected.
Stepping away from Geralt’s storywould provide CD Projekt Red with more freedom as well, as it could introduce entirely new characters and would not need to work so closely around established canon. While a game could still follow a character that Geralt knew and interacted with, he has more than earned the opportunity for some rest. There are countless options for a successor, with Ciri being the obvious choice for the next game’s protagonist. While it would be great to control the heroine throughout an entire game, though, an equally strong option lies in the past.
Following In Nightmare of the Wolf’s Footsteps
The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolffollows Vesemir in his prime, flashing between his origins to his years as a Witcher. The story of the anime does a terrific job of exploring Vesemir’s history, something that was not explored much in the games or books. The result was an emotional story full of violent and serious moments, with the well-crafted action scenes only being one of the film’s strengths. While the story does a fine job of fleshing outThe Witcher’s universe, Vesemir is the real focus of the film.
Because of this extra focus,The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolfultimatelymakes Vesemir a more interesting character. While he has always been likable as Geralt’s father figure and mentor, several new layers are added to his personality through the film. He ultimately becomes a hero to root for and believe in, and while he may not he Geralt, his overall good nature shows that he is more complex than other Witchers. With such good character development seen in the film, and Vesemir’s fighting skills on full display, he looks like a fine contender for a protagonist.
Seeing Vesemir in his prime could be exciting, and if CD Projekt Red wanted to, it could touch on his relationship with Geralt. The bond between Geralt and Ciri was crucial toThe Witcher 3: Wild Hunt’s success, and the same could be true for a Vesemir-led game. Seeing a father and son or father and daughter together is something that has worked incredibly well in recent years, withGod of WarandThe Last of Usalso being prime examples of this narrative structure. Vesemir and Geralt could be just as interesting to see together, with the moments they had inThe Witcher 3showing how fun their dynamic can be. This would likely be just as enjoyable with a younger Geralt, though he is certainly not needed for a prequel to succeed.
Even if Vesemir does not lead the game, and CD Projekt Red goes with some unnamed Witcher instead, a prequel is full of potential.The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolfshowed that there is a lot more to explore inThe Witcher’s world, especially in the time before Geralt, and CD Projekt Red should take note. While it would be safer to make another game with Geralt as the lead, or evena sequel with Ciri, taking aRed Dead Redemption 2-like approach could be worthwhile. Though many directions could work, taking a step backwards to move forwards may be the best strategy of all.
The Witcher 4is rumored to be in development.
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