"Witcher 4 Director Clarifies: Ciri's Face Unchanged"

The director of *The Witcher 4* has clarified that a new video features the same in-game model of Ciri after some fans speculated that her face looked different in the new footage. Yesterday, CD Projekt released a behind-the-scenes look at *The Witcher 4*'s cinematic reveal trailer, showcasing two brief clips that offer a closer look at Ciri. These clips, found at the 2:11 and 5:47 marks, zoom in on Ciri's face as the camera spins around her character model. The online community quickly noticed a slight difference in her facial appearance compared to the cinematic reveal trailer. One fan praised the 5:47 mark as a "perfect representation of a slightly older Ciri. I'm well happy! She looks fantastic!"

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

This initial speculation fueled discussions on social media, with some suggesting that CD Projekt might have altered Ciri's appearance in response to criticism that labeled her as "ugly" in the reveal trailer. However, *The Witcher 4* game director Sebastian Kalemba took to social media to set the record straight. He stated that the developer had not modified Ciri's in-game model and explained that the new video showed raw footage without the cinematic enhancements seen in the reveal trailer.

"The behind-the-scenes video features the same in-game model of Ciri as seen in the original trailer," Kalemba clarified. "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."

Commenter Fehndrix humorously remarked on the Witcher subreddit, "Redditor discovers the effect that lighting can have on an in-game face model, is confused."

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

*The Witcher 4* is the first game in a new trilogy set after the events of *The Witcher 3*, and notably, it features Ciri as the protagonist instead of Geralt. In an exclusive interview with IGN before the reveal, executive producer Małgorzata Mitręga explained that Ciri was a "very organic, logical choice" for the new lead. "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 youthfulness allows players more freedom to shape her character compared to Geralt, providing developers with greater scope to delve into her narrative. Despite potential backlash regarding Ciri's role as the protagonist, both Mitręga and Kalemba emphasized that Ciri was always intended to be the main character.

"There was an intention behind this choice," Kalemba stated. "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."

For more on *The Witcher 4*, check out our exclusive content, including a trailer breakdown and an interview with CD Projekt where they explain why *The Witcher 4* will avoid a *Cyberpunk 2077*-style launch disaster.

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