CD Projekt RED has revealed that the Ciri we got to see in the recent Unreal Engine tech demo video is based on the same Ciri that we first saw all the way back in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Speaking to Kotaku, a spokesperson for the studio has revealed that the model used was also the same one from the original announcement trailer for The Witcher 4 from back in December 2024.
In their statement, the spokesperson said that the face of Ciri in the most recent tech demo is a “direct copy” of the character’s face from The Witcher 3. However, the spokesperson notes that there are two key differences between the face from then and now, with both changes having been made in order to give animators more detailed control on the character’s facial animations through the new MetaHuman Creator.
“It’s the same character model used in the [2024] trailer,” said the spokesperson. “Ciri’s face is a direct copy of The Witcher 3 model, adapted to work with the latest MetaHuman technology. Two subtle changes were made to improve animation quality: slightly raised eyebrows, and a more relaxed eye area – the latter was present in the trailer but has since been removed.”
The tech demo, showcased just earlier this week, gave us a look at some of the new technologies that are being used in the development of The Witcher 4. It also gave us a look at Ciri’s horse, named Kelpie, with whom the new protagonist will travel throughout the game’s open world. The tech demo also focused quite a bit on the new Nanite Foliage technology from Unreal Engine 5.6, as well as the incredible detail visible in shots of Valdrest.
CD Projekt RED, however, has also been clear in noting that the tech demo doesn’t necessarily reflect what we’ll see in The Witcher 4 when the game is finally out. A spokesperson said, “This is a tech demo and a first look at the cutting-edge technology powering The Witcher 4 – but not The Witcher 4 itself.”
Rather, the spokesperson emphasised the fact that the video was made to showcase some of the tools being used, such as UAF, Nanite Foliage, ML Deformer, FastGeo Streaming, and Smart Objects. “We’re really proud of this early milestone and excited to give you a sneak peek at some of the cool tech like UAF, Nanite Foliage, Smart Objects, ML Deformer and FastGeo Streaming that are helping shape the future of The Witcher,” they said.
The Witcher 4 was originally announced with a trailer that gave us a look at Ciri taking on a contract, much like previous protagonist Geralt would. However, things quickly start going wrong during the course of Ciri’s fight with the monster, until she’s able to bounce back with tricks of her own.
The Witcher 4 doesn’t yet have a release date. However, considering some of the minor controversy surrounding Ciri taking over as the protagonist from Geralt, the voice actor for the latter has suggested that those complaining should “read the damn books.”
