Summary
The Witcher 4may still be a little ways out from release, with current predictions putting it around 2026 or a little later, but excitement nevertheless continues to mount for the forthcoming fourth game in CD Projekt Red’s popular dark fantasy series.The Witcher 4has been hotly anticipated in the decade since the highly received third installment,The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt. While fans are eagerly awaiting to jump into the next era ofThe Witchersaga, which will see Ciri elevated to the starring role, there remains much speculation and many unknown details so far about what else the new title will have in store, and which other characters may or may not return.
Recently,Yennefer’s voice actor, Denise Gough, stated that she doesn’t know if the character will appear in the upcoming entry. While the studio has not commented directly on whether this indeed will be the case for the next game at the time of writing, if Yennefer’s presence is diminished or she is absent altogether inThe Witcher 4, this would likely be a fairly big blow to the story and the strong connections established throughout the previous entries.
Fans may also recognize Denise Gough for her role as Imperial Security Bureau agent, Dedra Meero, on the Disney+Star WarsshowAndor.
Yennefer Possibly Being Absent From The Witcher 4 Would Be a Big Misstep
Yennefer’s History and Presence Looms Large in The Witcher Series
Introduced in the first published collection of stories,The Last Wish, byThe Witchercreator and author Andrzej Sapkowsk, Yennefer of Vengerberg is a prominent figure in both the franchise and in longtime protagonist Geralt of Rivia’s life. From the moment they became mystically bound together, their tumultuous but intense on-again/off-again relationship in many ways defines them, at times guiding both their actions, and sometimes equally clouding their judgments.
Though Yennefer was largely absent from the second game,The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, she returned in a major way inThe Wild Hunt. There, she was a motivating factor for Geralt’s quest as he searched for her and Ciri. Once the three were reunited, Yennefer and Geralt served as surrogate parental figures for Ciri, shaping her outlook and helping hone her skills as she grappled with her Elder Blood powers and finding herself in the often harsh and unforgivingworld ofThe Witcher.
Yennefer Not Being in The Witcher 4 Might Hurt It in the Long Run
By all appearances, Ciri will be taking up the mantle of a witcher in the new game. It seems natural then that Geralt will still be around to teach her, and it has beenconfirmed that Doug Cockle will reprise his role as Geralt inThe Witcher 4, although to what extent he will play in the overall story is unknown. With Denise Gough’s comments regarding her uncertainty about Yennefer, though, this would leave a big hole in the dynamic if she wasn’t also there to provide another mentor figure for Ciri, offering advice and companionship as Ciri carves out her own path and destiny.
One possibility is that CD Projekt Red wishes to keep the details of Yennefer’s involvement inThe Witcher 4under close wraps, and thus even her voice actor hasn’t been privy to them. Another outcome is that the developer may be looking at another actor, like howCiara Berkeley will be taking the role of Ciri inThe Witcher 4, whereas she was portrayed by Jo Wyatt inThe Witcher 3.
But given her place in the tale so far, Yennefer not being present at all inThe Witcher 4seems a very strange choice, and, if true, would surely disappoint many fans who are expecting her to at least be a part of the upcoming adventure in some way. Hopefully, CDPR does plan to include Yen, and perhaps is holding its cards closely in order to surprise players with how she will fit into the next chapter.
