Geralt Actor Criticizes 'Woke' Label for Ciri-Led Witcher 4

Doug Cockle, the iconic voice behind Geralt of Rivia in CD Projekt's The Witcher series, has strongly defended the decision to focus on Ciri as the protagonist in the upcoming The Witcher 4. Addressing the backlash from some quarters of the fanbase labeling the move as "woke," Cockle was direct and unapologetic.

"That's just stupid," Cockle remarked during a video interview with Fall Damage, dismissing the criticism. He emphasized that featuring Ciri, a well-established and beloved character from The Witcher universe, is neither a political statement nor an attempt to cater to any specific audience. "It's not woke. There's nothing woke about it. [Ciri]'s a cool character from The Witcher, and they're gonna focus on that character, and that's awesome," he added.

Despite reprising his role as Geralt in The Witcher 4, Cockle understands and supports the shift in focus to Ciri. He pointed out that Geralt's story arc concluded with Blood and Wine, and it's time for new stories to be told. "We can't just have Geralt for every single game for The Witcher ad nauseam, out through eternity," he explained, celebrating the move to spotlight Ciri. "I celebrate Ciri. I celebrate her being the protagonist. So all you people who think it's woke... [blows raspberry]."

Cockle also highlighted the rich narrative potential that Ciri brings to the series, rooted deeply in Andrzej Sapkowski's original novels. He urged detractors to delve into the books to understand the decision better. "If you read the books, then you understand why CD Projekt went down this avenue," Cockle noted. "There's a whole rich world of stuff to explore with Ciri, that they didn't do when they put her into Witcher 3, because the story was about Geralt. But she hints at it."

Encouraging fans to engage with the source material, Cockle added, "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 shift to Ciri as the protagonist in The Witcher 4 is not only a narrative choice but also aligns with the broader universe established by Sapkowski, who sees Ciri as a pivotal character ready to take the lead when Geralt's story pauses. CD Projekt's games, while set after the events of Sapkowski's novels, continue to draw from the rich tapestry of the original works, ensuring that the transition to Ciri's story feels both natural and exciting.

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