Doug Cockle, the iconic voice behind Geralt of Rivia, has responded to criticism about The Witcher 4 focusing on Ciri — bluntly telling detractors to "read the source material."

Voice Actor Calls Criticism "Nonsense"

"That's simply absurd," Cockle stated regarding the backlash against CD Projekt Red's upcoming installment, which will feature Ciri as the lead character for the first time in the game series.

"This isn't about being 'woke,'" Cockle emphasized during a Fall Damage video interview. "[Ciri] is an established character with rich narrative potential that deserves exploration. It's an exciting creative direction."

Geralt's Legacy and Ciri's Future

While Cockle will reprise his role as Geralt in The Witcher 4, the White Wolf won't be the central protagonist. The announcement of Ciri taking the lead role sparked polarized reactions among some fans when revealed last year.

"We can't keep recycling Geralt indefinitely," Cockle explained. "His story reached its natural conclusion with Blood and Wine. I fully support CD Projekt's decision to spotlight Ciri — she's a fantastic character who warrants this focus."

The actor playfully dismissed critics with his signature wit, blowing a raspberry at those labeling the decision as "woke ideology."

Exploring Ciri's Untapped Potential

Cockle highlighted that Ciri's central role follows logical narrative progression from Andrzej Sapkowski's original novels: "The books clearly establish why this makes perfect sense. There's incredible storytelling potential with Ciri that wasn't fully explored in The Witcher 3's Geralt-focused narrative."

"To anyone criticizing this as 'woke' — first, the books are excellent reads. Second, they'd understand this character choice comes straight from the source material."

The Witcher 4 Game Awards Screenshots

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Respecting the Source Material

While CD Projekt's games take place after Sapkowski's novels, the author has maintained separation between his definitive book endings and the game continuations. However, both the novels and games position Ciri as a natural successor to carry the story forward when Geralt steps back.

IGN previously discussed the narrative continuity with CD Projekt's lore experts Cian Maher and Marcin Batylda, who confirmed the established timeline supports this character progression.