Doug Cockle, the voice of Geralt, has responded to criticism over The Witcher 4's focus on Ciri, advising franchise "fans" to simply read the original books.
Describing the fan backlash as "just stupid," Cockle defended CD Projekt's decision to feature Ciri as the new lead protagonist. The controversy emerged when the studio announced the character shift.
"It's not woke," Cockle emphasized in a video interview with Fall Damage. "There is nothing 'woke' about it. Ciri is a fantastic character within The Witcher universe, and focusing on her story is an exciting direction."
While Cockle has voiced Geralt throughout the CD Projekt Red series and will reprise the role in the next installment, he confirms the Witcher will not be the central character this time.
Even with Geralt's confirmed presence in The Witcher 4, last year's announcement that his adoptive daughter would helm the new game — and likely the upcoming trilogy — triggered accusations of the series going "woke" from a vocal minority online.
"We can't have Geralt as the lead in every Witcher game forever," Cockle explained, noting the character's journey was effectively concluded with the 'Blood and Wine' expansion. "Geralt's story reached its natural end. I fully support Ciri stepping into the protagonist role. To those calling it 'woke'... [blows raspberry]."
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Cockle suggested the narrative choice to feature Ciri is deeply rooted in Andrzej Sapkowski's original novel series, which provides ample material for her character.
"If you read the books, you’ll understand why CD Projekt chose this path," Cockle stated. "There's a rich world of Ciri's story left unexplored in The Witcher 3, which centered on Geralt. The books offer the foundation. If you think this is 'woke,' read the books — they're excellent. You might change your perspective."
CD Projekt's games are loosely set after the events of Sapkowski's novels, though the author has historically distinguished his written conclusion from the games' extended narratives.
Without revealing potential spoilers from the final novel, it's clear Sapkowski, like CD Projekt, viewed Ciri as a pivotal character—one ready to take center stage when Geralt's story pauses.
IGN previously discussed Geralt's return in The Witcher 4 with CD Projekt's franchise and lore designers, Cian Maher and Marcin Batylda, who detailed how the established timeline remains consistent.
