Ciri Protagonist

[Actalo]

I think for many of us male players it's just not desired to play as a female protagonist in a story-driven, narrative-heavy RPG like what CDPR's made in the past. Many, if not most, male gamers prefer to play male avatars where the story and setting cause them to form a deeply personal, almost vicarious bond with their avatar. I imagine it's the same with female gamers, except, most female gamers don't play games like The Witcher.

The Witcher series of games has been a hyper-masculine role from the start - in Geralt's stoicism, to the sexual power-fantasy of collecting cards from conquests, to brotherhood, violent courage, and self-sacrifice. The Witcher 'was', more or less, a 'male space.' Now, I guess, it's not anymore.

I understand CDPR's desire to explore as they said "Ciiri has so much more to do" but the simple fact is, most people who played The Witcher series outside of Poland didn't know who Ciri was until The Witcher 3. Only a small minority of players bought the books, and those that did, did so with the Witcher games as their entry head-canon. Just as Yennefer was so unpopular as a love interest to Witcher 1 & 2 players because players didn't know who she was, many who played the Witcher series only care Ciri from her importance to Geralt, but don't want to play her in any capacity.

The Netflix show only made everything worse and caused a great many Witcher gamers to lose interest in the IP altogether. So, to suddenly shoe-horn in this physical mirror of Geralt: prominent facial scar, white hair, cat eyes - to become the next Witcher, I'm sorry, it won't work. Witcher 4 will sell because many players of Witcher 3 will play it out of emotional attachment to the lore, but that's it. There won't be newer players; because every game ever released, with the sort of ingredients shown in the trailer, under-perform expectations.

It all looks bad, badly done.

[Sardukhar]

Ciri had the scar and hair in Witcher 3. And in the books, years before the games.

That's not new. At all. It's neither a "shoe horn", nor "sudden."

Your perspective on the hyper-masculinity of the games doesn't necessarily reflect the games as much as the observer.

As for "most female gamers" it's problematic to speak for others with any accuracy, especially such a large group.

[Irinka]

The idea that male players inherently prefer male protagonists in story-driven RPGs like The Witcher feels more like a personal bias than a universal truth. Look around at modern gaming—titles like Horizon Zero Dawn, Tomb Raider, The Last of Us Part II, and Control have all demonstrated that players, regardless of gender, are more than capable of forming deep, emotional connections with female protagonists. These games weren’t niche or underperforming; they were blockbuster successes that told compelling stories. What matters most in a narrative-heavy RPG isn’t the protagonist’s gender but the depth of their character, the world they inhabit, and the stakes of their journey. Players aren’t just selfinserting, they’re roleplaying, and sometimes that means stepping outside themselves and experiencing life from a different perspective.

Now, when you say The Witcher was always a "male space," you’re reducing it to a caricature. Sure, it leaned into themes like brotherhood, stoicism, and grit, but it was never just about hyper-masculinity. Geralt himself defied that archetype: he’s reflective, empathetic, and deeply human. The game’s emotional core comes from his connections to Yennefer, Triss, Vesemir, and especially Ciri. Calling it a "male space" dismisses the incredible roles women played in these games, both narratively and in player appeal. Ciri was never just "important because of Geralt"—her sections in The Witcher 3 were widely praised because she’s a strong, independent character with her own struggles, agency, and charisma. Players loved her not because she’s Geralt’s adopted daughter, but because she’s Ciri. Reducing her to Geralt’s side character or suggesting she can’t carry a game is not only unfair to her arc but completely underestimates the audience’s ability to appreciate her.

And this idea that The Witcher’s popularity is somehow tied to Geralt being the playable character ignores how franchises need to grow. Sticking with Geralt forever would only stagnate the series. CD Projekt Red is taking a bold step forward by focusing on Ciri, and it makes perfect sense. She’s not a "shoehorned mirror" of Geralt—her physical traits and combat abilities are tied to her Elder Blood and the Witcher training she received. She’s not a clone of Geralt but the natural evolution of the series. Moving on from Geralt doesn’t erase what came before; it builds on it. Players already know and care about Ciri. Her character is a perfect bridge between the old Witcher world and new stories waiting to be told.

The claim that The Witcher lost fans because of the Netflix show also doesn’t hold up. Yes, the show got flak for deviating from the books, but most players understand the difference between adaptations and the games. CD Projekt Red has proven, time and again, that they understand what makes The Witcher special. Even after the bumpy launch of Cyberpunk 2077, players eventually came back because CDPR builds worlds that people love. If they put the same care into a Ciri-led Witcher game, it’s going to thrive.

And finally, the notion that games with female protagonists "underperform" is just false. Horizon Zero Dawn, The Last of Us Part II, Tomb Raider... these games were massive successes that resonated with millions of players. The idea that male gamers won’t buy a game with a female lead has been debunked time and again. What matters is the quality of the game, not whether the main character is male or female. If CDPR nails the story, gameplay, and worldbuilding like they’ve done before, people will show up, period.

In the end, this take feels less like a critique of CDPR’s direction and more like resistance to change. The Witcher world isn’t a "male space," and it never was. Its stories have always been about humanity, morality, and personal struggle, things that transcend gender. Moving on from Geralt isn’t a betrayal; it’s growth. If anything, letting Ciri take the lead opens up fresh storytelling opportunities while staying true to the franchise’s heart. People who value great storytelling will welcome this evolution, and clinging to outdated ideas about what players want only limits the potential of this incredible series.

[Destroy-Erase-Improve]

The waters of Brokilon didn’t even affect her… So it’s not outside of reasonable consideration that her resistance to Witcher mutagens would be great enough for her to survive the process. Explaining how she became a Witcher is not difficult. You could also include:

1. She has the elder blood
2. She’s a powerful source
4. She’s a child of destiny
5. Teens and young adults are much more likely to survive poisoning by toxins than children in regards to mutagens. So the whole giving mutagens to children thing was probably just tradition and in order to train from an early age.
6. She became so adept at sword fighting she defeated Leo Bonhart who had multiple Witcher medallions as trophies for those he had killed. Making her a perfect Witcher candidate.

[LupisVolk]

Don't forget there's an ending where she BECOMES a witcher.

[Actalo]

Originally posted by Irinka:

Horizon Zero Dawn, The Last of Us Part II, Tomb Raider... these games were massive successes that resonated with millions of players.

Don't want to get into the weeds about this, but here's some numbers I got from Google.

Horizon Zero DaWN: 24.3 million units. (2023)
- Added aforementioned ingredients -
Horizon Forbidden West: 8.4 million units. (2023)

The Last of Us: 14 million units + 17 million units (remaster)
- Added aforementioned ingredients -
The Last of Us 2: 10 million units

Nothing wrong with well written female protagonists, it's just there's a sizable chunk of the male gamer base who prefers male avatars in certain genres or context, and the games they play tend to be games that CDPR used to make.

[StuartAce]

CDP's fault really as they made Geralt such an amazing character that i really dont want to play as anyone else, especially Ciri.
I think i would rather play as Yennifer than Ciri lol.

Not everything is about people being 'that banned word' or people being anti-'that banned word'. I just dont want to play as anyone other than Geralt, and you know what?, i wont.

[Destroy-Erase-Improve]

Originally posted by StuartAce:

CDP's fault really as they made Geralt such an amazing character that i really dont want to play as anyone else, especially Ciri.
I think i would rather play as Yennifer than Ciri lol.

Not everything is about people being 'that banned word' or people being anti-'that banned word'. I just dont want to play as anyone other than Geralt, and you know what?, i wont.

I can totally respect that… I get it might not be everyone’s cup of tea. But after an initial shock reaction I thought about it and realised I was totally good with it.

Geralt was one of the greatest of protagonists. It’s like trying to replace Shepard in Mass Effect. I just don’t get the lore inaccuracy arguments for a game that went 3 games past the point of book cannon.

Thanks for being one of the level headed ones 👍

[Irinka]

Originally posted by Actalo:

Originally posted by Irinka:

Horizon Zero Dawn, The Last of Us Part II, Tomb Raider... these games were massive successes that resonated with millions of players.

Don't want to get into the weeds about this, but here's some numbers I got from Google.

Horizon Zero DaWN: 24.3 million units. (2023)
- Added aforementioned ingredients -
Horizon Forbidden West: 8.4 million units. (2023)

The Last of Us: 14 million units + 17 million units (remaster)
- Added aforementioned ingredients -
The Last of Us 2: 10 million units

Nothing wrong with well written female protagonists, it's just there's a sizable chunk of the male gamer base who prefers male avatars in certain genres or context, and the games they play tend to be games that CDPR used to make.

The difference in sales between The Last of Us Part I and Part II isn’t about Ellie being a female protagonist, it’s about the bold narrative choices in Part II that split the fanbase and sparked controversy. Similarly, Horizon Forbidden West sold less than Zero Dawn not because of Aloy but due to market saturation and competition at launch. A lot of things play a part like market conditions, competition, timing... If The Witcher 4 delivers strong gameplay and storytelling, Ciri being the lead won’t hold it back, quality matters far more than the protagonist’s gender.

It's my personal opinion, but if for some people having the same genitalia is that big of a deal, then I don’t fully agree, but I can try to understand that some players may prefer a certain level of familiarity in their characters. However, I think great stories should be about way more than just that.

[StuartAce]

Originally posted by Destroy-Erase-Improve:

Originally posted by StuartAce:

CDP's fault really as they made Geralt such an amazing character that i really dont want to play as anyone else, especially Ciri.
I think i would rather play as Yennifer than Ciri lol.

Not everything is about people being 'that banned word' or people being anti-'that banned word'. I just dont want to play as anyone other than Geralt, and you know what?, i wont.

I can totally respect that… I get it might not be everyone’s cup of tea. But after an initial shock reaction I thought about it and realised I was totally good with it.

Geralt was one of the greatest of protagonists. It’s like trying to replace Shepard in Mass Effect. I just don’t get the lore inaccuracy arguments for a game that went 3 games past the point of book cannon.

Thanks for being one of the level headed ones 👍

Yeah i thought Witcher 3, and the expansions, made it pretty clear who was going to be the main character in this one.
Its the reason why i havent been excited for 4.

I may pick up the game years from now when its cheap, like Witcher 3 is now, but no way i'm buying this at launch.
Sorry CDPR but its just the way it is.

[Wolfman-RIP]

Originally posted by Actalo:

I think for many of us male players it's just not desired to play as a female protagonist in a story-driven, narrative-heavy RPG like what CDPR's made in the past. Many, if not most, male gamers prefer to play male avatars where the story and setting cause them to form a deeply personal, almost vicarious bond with their avatar.

Do not presume to speak for most men. Many successful game franchises and shows are led by women. Some of the greatest shows, films and games are about a a persons mental and psychical strength when faced with adversary and often these are led by women.

Personally I love games, films and shows with female protagonists. Men who are secure in themselves can identify with women and connect with them when playing one in a game.

Women protagonists in games and shows have been rightly praised for 3 decades and were never a issue or attacked until recently. It's only in the last 2 years that there has been this rise in hatred towards women from a vocal minority, often stirred up by ragebait youtubers. It's disgusting, misogynistic and pathetic. It has no place in society or in gaming. (FYI not accusing the OP but in threads elsewhere.)

There are many excellent games with female protagonists. Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, Tomb Raider, Alien Isolation, Returnal, Control, Bayonetta, Metroid, Last Of Us, Resident Evil, Silent Hill, Mirror's Edge and Plague Tale to name just a few. I could also name a huge amount of excellent TV & film with female leading stars.

Ciri reminds me of one protagonist i loved growing up. Buffy the vampire slayer, she encapsulated what it was like to grow up in adversary while dealing with huge responsibilities, trying to live a normal life and the suffering we all go through growing up. The shows characters and especially Buffy displayed vulnerability and mental fortitude many times and that's one reason Buffy was a beloved show for millions of people. Ciri is a echo of that.

I am excited to play as Ciri. She will be a well written and developed protagonist and I hope to see how her story unfolds.

[Actalo]

Originally posted by Thaddreth:

Interestingly, I prefer characters like Geralt over a female, the traditional mans man type. Yet I still couldn't get into The Witcher 3. The story and lore just didn't really interest me that much. THe thing that interests me the most of what happened to Earth and how humans got to this world. But it doesn't seem the stories we get are focused on any of that.

That's fair, after playing Kingdom Come: Deliverance I had a difficult time getting back into fantasy games like The Witcher, despite it's more 'grounded', low-fantasy visage. Realistic, historically accurate settings just hit differently, more profoundly.

[Titan Awaken]

After playing as a maneating shark transformed into a megalodon in Maneater, I frankly do not give a …. who or even what I play as in a video game. As long as the game is sound in terms of gameplay and writing, sign me the F up whether I play as a man, woman, child or an orange bandicoot.

And let’s not beat about the bush and equivocate yeah? This is less about “identifying” with a male MC than it is about whatever preconceived notion or idea you’ve conjured up in your head. Male gamers are all too happy to play as a female character like 2B or Chun-li for instance.

I can think of some reasons why and none of them have to do with identification.

Originally posted by Actalo:

The Witcher series of games has been a hyper-masculine role from the start - in Geralt's stoicism, to the sexual power-fantasy of collecting cards from conquests, to brotherhood, violent courage, and self-sacrifice. The Witcher 'was', more or less, a 'male space.' Now, I guess, it's not anymore.

Hyper-masculine?!

We playing the same Witcher? Ciri, Yen, Triss, Shani, Keira, Philippa, Cerys, Syanna… there are so many female characters that are integral to the plot of this game. It was never a “male space” (or female space for that matter).

This notion is just wrong. The variety of the game’s cast is one of its greatest strengths. From young like Ciri to old like Vesemir to male to female to characters of completely different races (e.g. Regis, Eredin and those even those talking rock trolls), this series has never been a “space” for just one demographic.

[MGB | Screaming Internally]

"most female gamers don't play games like The Witcher."

Citation needed

[RivvenDarke]

Originally posted by Actalo:

I think for many of us male players it's just not desired to play as a female protagonist in a story-driven, narrative-heavy RPG like what CDPR's made in the past. Many, if not most, male gamers prefer to play male avatars where the story and setting cause them to form a deeply personal, almost vicarious bond with their avatar. I imagine it's the same with female gamers, except, most female gamers don't play games like The Witcher.

8% of the world population are white males and half of them probably 60+ and golfing.

If you watch youtube reactions to the trailer you see tons of female player reactions there.

But you are probably from the US and dont even know other countries exist.

[Simbolic]

I prefer playing attractive to semi attractive females. For a long time I grew up and hated playing females. Or being forced to play them. Lara Croft in Tomb Raiders PS1 games were like the only one I ever played. Besides Claire in RE2 on PS1 just to get an alternate plaything.
The mods for Skyrim really changed it all for me. When could literally make a Goddess. Those mods for that game really changed it all for me.
This was way back in the day as well. So may not seem that ground breaking or impressive now.
Although at that time it blew my mind and changed my whole perspective on playing females.