Doug Cockle, the actor who voices Geralt of Rivia, has responded to online criticism regarding The Witcher 4's focus on Ciri, advising disappointed franchise fans to "read the damn books" for context.
"That's just a silly reaction," Cockle said regarding the backlash against CD Projekt Red's next RPG, which was triggered by the announcement of Ciri as the new protagonist.
"It has nothing to do with 'woke' ideology," Cockle continued in an interview published by Fall Damage. "There's nothing political about it. Ciri is a compelling character from The Witcher universe, and featuring her is a fantastic creative decision."
Cockle has provided Geralt's voice throughout CD Projekt's video game series and will reprise the role in The Witcher 4, though the beloved witcher will not be the central character this time.
Despite Geralt's continued presence in the upcoming title, last year's reveal that his adoptive daughter would take the lead role for the next installment—and presumably the new trilogy—sparked predictable claims of the series becoming "woke" from a vocal minority online.
"We can't just keep revisiting Geralt's story endlessly," Cockle explained, advocating for his character's well-deserved break. "His journey reached its conclusion. Blood and Wine was designed to provide that closure."
"I fully support Ciri's starring role. To anyone calling this 'woke'... [makes dismissive sound]."
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Cockle further suggested that Ciri's central role in The Witcher 4 is deeply rooted in the source material—the original novel series by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski.
"Anyone familiar with the books understands CD Projekt's narrative direction," Cockle stated. "Ciri's world offers a wealth of untapped potential. The Witcher 3 couldn't fully explore her arc because the story centered on Geralt, but it laid the groundwork."
"If you think this is 'woke,' I urge you to read the books. They're excellent, for one thing. More importantly, you'll see the narrative logic behind this choice."
CD Projekt's games are loosely set after the events of Sapkowski's novels, though the author has consistently maintained a distinction between his written conclusion for the characters and the video games that continue Geralt's adventures.
Without revealing key plot points from the final novel that may influence The Witcher 4, it's clear that Sapkowski, like CD Projekt, viewed Ciri as a pivotal figure—one perfectly positioned to drive the narrative forward when Geralt steps back.
IGN previously discussed Geralt's return in The Witcher 4 with CD Projekt lore experts Cian Maher and Marcin Batylda, who detailed how the established timeline coherently supports the new story direction.
