Guaranteed the word “woke” will be thrown around left and right
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I hate how everything has to be stupid culture war nonsense these days.
I’ll probably get the game but be disappointed I don’t get to play as Geralt.
I’d also be disappointed to get a new Horizon game where I don’t get to play as Aloy. Does that make me a misandrist?
No, but being disappointed you don’t play as Geralt means you missed half the point of 3.
Let the dude retire to his life of cheating on his girlfriend, damn
Perfectly screwed up image
Add Naughty Dog’s “Intergalactic” to the pile: The protagonist is female and a PoC! The usual suspects are already frothing at the mouth and recording a bajillion outrage bait videos for their Youtube channels.
And bald! Which probably reminds some of the negative anti-wokers of their current day living situations
I dislike when space games have loose hair on characters. All hair should probably be cut short or tied up if you’re making a game in space. Bald makes a lot of sense for this reason, especially since even short hair you’d ideally have physics in it floating around (assuming it has zero-g stuff or anything like that).
Don’t understand the hate. I also prefer sexy characters as I dont prioritize realism in games and am looking for escapism but that isn’t the game. If you want a game with sexy characters, there are plenty.
I often mod games to add that asthetic. I’ll probably wait for this to be on a big sale once there are such mods for that reason.
Don’t like what they’re selling? Don’t play it. Or mod it. Don’t screech on the internet that it’s not fair to you. You didn’t make the thing.
So much rage. It’s like complaining a romantic comedy isn’t an action movie.
joking (mostly)
I also like sexy characters and I’m livid every time I see a scantily clad woman without a male (or enby) counterpart.
I WANT MORE SEXY MEN IN VIDEO GAMES!
It’s not even that, she still looks good. They’re mad she isn’t a college girl in a white shirt anymore. She has armor and an actual woman’s face, the horror.
(Lore nerd rant ahead, tl;dr: Ciri being the protag is 100% fine and I expected it but her being a full witcher is weird)
There’s exactly one somewhat valid complaint to be had here, and it’s that Ciri in the books explicitly didn’t go through the Trial of the Grasses (aka one of the main mutation processes that makes you a witcher or, as it often happens, just straight up kills you), so idk how they’ll justify her being able to use witcher potions and stuff now. And (also in the books) she has lost her access to magic at one point, so using witcher signs is strange too.
I can see her wanting to take the plunge and go through with the trials, but I’m also certain that Geralt wouldn’t want that for her bc of how much it fucks you up + most of the secrets of the trials have been lost.
I’m willing to give them the benefit of the doubt and wait and see what explanation they come up with for her being a full witcher, but it better be good.
So, from lore perspective, I have no objections to her being the protag but I don’t love her being a full witcher. I liked what they did with her gameplay sections in W3, I hoped they’d have just expanded on that gameplay idea more.
Yeah I’m not sure what her becoming a witcher adds to her story. She already has a lot going for her. Now if she became a badass witch like Granny weatherwax that’s the left turn I want to see.
Ciri used headology: The bandit lies down questioning how exactly disappointed his mother will be in him when ciri gets back from the coven.
Just because she does it in the trailer does not mean we start there in the game.
I agree it seems a little shoe-horned to make her a classical witcher. I hope it’s not just to give her the title, because she could easily be the protagonist, and/or have the job of being a witcher without the trial of the grasses. She was given the training and education of a witcher, and has magical powers of her own already. Receiving the trials would be a huge deal, narratively, to the characters, and to world building. I could easily see this being a fumbled corporate attempt at placating fans that wanted to see geralt, without any regard for the characters or world building. (Similar to “Rey Skywalker” having absolutely no business being a Skywalker). But that’s all speculation. If it’s treated as a major plot point, and not done just for the hell of it, it could still be good.
Yeah, exactly! I’m not married to the lore to the degree that I won’t give the devs a chance to explain how this came to be, but I’m worried it’s going to just be a cheap “well we needed to keep the signs and the potions as mechanics but Geralt is retired, fuck it, let’s say they found instructions on how to safely make more witchers in Vesemir’s cupboard somewhere.”
She’s wearing a feline medallion in the trailer, so it stands to reason she’s affiliated with the School of the Cat now. She probably went through their trials. And apparently CDPR has stated she is indeed a full witcher now.
Is it faithful to the source material? (I have no idea what’s going on?
The games take place after the books, so it’s green field. Although it sounds like I canonizes the ending of witcher 3, (but honestly there was only one “correct” ending to the witcher 3 unless you’re a heartless bastard)
If it’s after the books I expect to see her riding unicorns, making gates between worlds, and lying in ponds distributing swords.
If its new material than it should be judged on whether its good overall or not. And if its got the same vibe as the previous material.
How could anyone hate Ciri :c
I can’t understand hating Ciri as a chracter, but I can understand being kind of a disappointed not having Geralt as a playable character.
If you consider it as an isolated game it doesn’t matter, but when you play three games as one character and then suddenly switch to another character it can feel kind of melancholic, in absence of a better word. Especially since now there’s a non-zero chance that they’ll kill Geralt in the new game.
But anyway, Ciri was an interesting character and those parts in Witcher 3 where you played as her were great.
and then suddenly switch to another character it can feel kind of melancholic
Its not that sudden, Ciri was playable in Witcher 3 at times and the ending that has to be canon for her to be the W4 Protag leaves Geralt alive and old, and if you count B&W the owner of a vineyard where he can chill with his girl of choice, so they don’t even need to kill him off
“He’s old and hangs out in Toussaint now, he sends Ciri letters” would be easy to do
Well obviously Geralt survives in the end of witcher 3 and most likely will be alive in 4, but what I meant is that they might kill him in the new game like they did with Vesemir in Witcher 3. They don’t need to, and I hope they don’t, but it would be kind of an easy plot device so there’s a chance. But at this point it’s just speculation anyway.
My main point was more in line that some people just don’t like change and that would be enough to make them oppose Ciri as the main character.
Witcher 3 had multiple endings, and he dies in one of them
Geralt got his ending in The Witcher 3. I would much rather play as Ciri.
Someone that did not read the books. There are multiple points where the story shifts to Ciri. In a similar way Ragnarok shifts to Atreaus.
Witcher 3 literally has you play as her on multiple occasions, too
I haven’t even finished it before and I can think of at least 2
So it’d be someone who’s never read the books and has never played 3 (she isn’t mentioned in 1 or 2)
For me it’s not that I hate ciri at all. I completely understand women’s complaint that most games have a male protagonist and they can’t relate to that. I feel the same way, I like to feel at least somewhat immersed and I can never really get that with a female protagonist. It’s not like I don’t try either, I just never end up getting into the games I have tried that are like this.
I know it’s hard when the story is based on an individual, but I just wish more games had an option so everyone could play who they want to. I don’t hate them for this choice, it will just be another game that “isn’t for me” in the same way a hyper competitive PVP game “isn’t for me” which is fine.
So it’s not the magical powers, physical abilities, sexual magnatism, combat prowess, charisma, or anything else that Garalt has that you don’t that throws you off? It’s only that he has the body shape of a man that allows you to be immersed? If you played Garalt, but the body was modded into that of a female character, you’d lose your immersion, even though it’s damn near equally unlike you as a person as before?
Is it really like that for you? Does the same thing happen with books, movies, TV? Should they have an “option”?
I have absolutely no trouble immersing myself into Aloy, Lara Croft, Jesse (Control), Red (Transistor), Bayonetta, Faith (Mirror’s Edge), and others.
Like, the character not being the same gender as me, doesn’t even register as an obstacle for inhabiting them. I’m able to mentally become them in literally the exact same way I do any other protagonist.
Since, it’s not like I need to be the same as someone in order to see the world through their perspective.
The opposite, the less they are like me, the greater the chance I’ll get to experience something from outside my own lived experience. And I like that.
I’m with women in that they should have representation in games (and stories in general), but even just for myself I’m cheering this particular progression on for the sheer variety it brings.
Is it really like that for you? Does the same thing happen with books, movies, TV? Should they have an “option”?
It is like that for me and they don’t need to have that option, that’s unrealistic to expect. You can’t choose anything in a book or movie. It just becomes something that “isn’t for me” which is fine. Not everything has to be my taste. I was simply explaining why it had nothing to do with hating ciri for some people.
One of the best things about art is it can help to share what others experience; it gives us an opportunity to “walk in someone else’s shoes”. I think this can lead to more empathy in a world sorely lacking in it.
I don’t get you at all but fair fucks to you being civil about the matter. You got a lot of hate on here while simply stating a preference that you unfortunately share with a bunch of incel neckbeards.
I’m the other way, interestingly. I like playing a woman as a protagonist. Not because I’ll lust over them or anything, it’s simply more enjoyable.
I appreciate that. I just see it as the typical “people love to attack others online” and I have no desire to try to insult people even if they’re telling me liking chocolate over vanilla is wrong and I’m an asshole for it lol only I know myself, and I know there’s no hatred or misogyny behind my preferences.
I’m sorry, you’re saying you’re unable to get into a game simply because it’s a female protagonist? If it was a male you’d be fine?
Pretty much, yeah. Part of it is the whole “power fantasy” thing. I get, as others said, that it’s a fantasy world so how could you expect to be immersed with mutants and whatever, but that’s not the point. I don’t expect it to be a VR experience where I can’t even tell I’m not in the real world, and as others assumed no for fucks sake it has nothing to do with hating women. That’s absurd. It’s just a personal preference thing. I’m not going to write to the devs bitching or make some stupid “woke game” post, I just probably won’t play it.
You really need to look internally and analyze why you feel that way.
What? Women can’t be powerful?
“It’s so hard for me to imagine myself as a mutant monster killing master swordsman in a fantasy world if said mutant has a pair of tits”
Lol
Exactly lol, it has nothing to do with some weird gender thing. It’s a role playing game. You’re playing as a role. Even in Skyrim the role you’re playing (even if you choose a white male human) is someone living in Skyrim, a fictional place fighting dragons and draugr. So I think gender is one of the smallest differences.
God forbid you play a different perspective and see what it’s like.
Female V in cyberpunk is one of the best gaming experiences. You feel being catcalled and hit on directly - and you beat the ever loving shit out of them for doing it.
But what if I play as a female character and start liking dicks? No way bro the risk is just too high!
Ha, one of the first times I saw someone playing as a woman (in third person) I asked why and he joked and said “dude why would I want to stare at a man’s ass for 60 hours?”. Not a bad argument tbh…
I’m convinced that anyone who feels like they need to take steps to avoid liking dicks is actually in denial that they already like dicks.
I think he means he thinks women have trouble identifying to male protagonists as he has trouble identifying to female protagonists. If it was a male it’s ok because he’s a male (he can relate to).
He’s conflating women “can’t get behind a male protagonist” with women “who want more representation” and using it as his excuse. I think most gamers don’t care, and don’t think we should always have the choice. The only people who will hate this choice is people who already wanted to hate on women to begin with.
Which to that I’d say women have been able to “get behind male protagonists” for decades now.
I think choice is fun, for some games, but some games like the wither tell a specific narrative, and it makes sense that they are tailored for a specific character, and I think we all know the sort of abuse that Ciri is going to see in the world of the Witcher.
I think of any gender has trouble “identifying” with a character of another gender that’s 100% a them issue, they need to figure out why they have such a problem with it, because that says more about them then it does game makers. (I know not you, the original person).
Seriously all it says to me is that you’re insecure with yourself if you can’t even play a fictional fantasy game as a woman.
Definitely. It is probably in part cultural indoctrination teaching that women are weak & such. And they don’t want to feel weak. Many of my favorite games have women protagonists.
Looking forward to W4.
Many games are just better IMO by choosing the female POV. Femshep >>>> Maleshep
When logic is forsaken, turnabout is fair play.
I mean how could you ever sympathize with a character that doesn’t look exactly like you*?
*(Or the ideal of yourself, because let’s be honest…)
Many Mass Effect players reported that FemShep was the better way to play the game. Many guys play female avatars in games because the cosmetic choices are usually more interesting. This actually came up in a study on MMORPG players many years ago, and I imagine it is still true today.
I started the Witcher 3 twice. Got bored with it both times. Seeing the trailer for the Witcher 4 is actuslly making me go back to finish the Witcher 3.
Isn’t female witcher technically a witch? 🤔
I don’t think so.
I think being a Witcher is a distinct moniker In universe for the training/vocation of hunting magical monsters.
The usual male analogues in media for witch are wizards and/or warlocks
that implies that men are witch-er than a female witch? :D
In general English usage I think you may be right.
In the world of “The Witcher” (which is translated from Polish) there are both male and female mages with inborn abilities. Sometimes they are called sorcerers and sorceresses, sometimes they are called mages, sometimes they are called something related to their specialisation of magic, and sometimes wise women who do magic but didn’t go to the academy are called witches.
Witchers, however, are not mages. They are made from ordinary humans and are gene manipulated and highly trained to be monster hunters. They have some witcher powers that are related to runes, and they make potions that have side effects only they can survive thanks to their manipulated bodies. Witchers at birth do not have special potential. Though a lot of little witcher trainees die, so you could argue they are artificially selected in that way.
Ciri is kind of neither of those, but she has special abilities related to space and time manipulation. In the new trailer it seems she drinks a witcher potion, but from what we know she never underwent the manipulation that witchers did.
IIRC, the original polish “witcher” was made by taking word for “witch” and changing the grammatical gender to be masculine. Evidently this was not an existing word meaning “male witch”, and so was better translated as “witcher” (ie a made up word clearly derived from “witch”) instead of “witch” or “wizard”.
Cdpr confirmed that she underwent the trials and is now a Witcher.
Weren’t the mutagens for the trials destroyed in canon? It will be interesting to see how they get around this.
The Wolf school had it’s mutagens destroyed, yes. But in the trailer, it appears Ciri is wearing a feline medallion, implying that she is somehow affiliated with the School of the Cat now.
Ahhh okay. I missed that bit.
Could be that she used her space time powers to find a more stable version. Or who knows all the crossovers could be canon and she grabbed some bullshit from monster hunter or some shit.
She might have done the trials with another school. In the trailer, she is wearing a feline witcher medallion, not a wolf one. I don’t think the lore ever mentions the School of the Cat having their mutagens destroyed.
Im not really into the lore, more of a Warhammer fantasy guy I was just making a guess based off of the sheer number of crossovers. Seriously that shit is absurd, its like a reverse Scooby-Doo.
I’m not too far into the lore either, but the Witcher audiobooks jsut happened to be up next in my listening queue, so I guess I’ll find out about all that pretty soon.
I don’t understand the hate for women in video games, If the next Doom game comes out with a female protagonist I’d be going “HELL YEAH RIP ITS HEAD OFF!!!” the same way I do in Doom Eternal
Don’t understand it as a rational thing, understand the hate as a cancer with its growth being juiced and accelerated by the ruling class because incels are the easiest demographic to scam into violently acting against their own interests.
A cancerous process is by definition irrational from the perspective of the body it acts upon, the reason the cancer exists and grows is not because of a motive, desire or need but rather because the cancerous process consumes all the space and oxygen in a room at a faster rate than anything else can compete with while remaining invisible to the body as a threat.
Toxicity towards women displaces other topics and viewpoints specifically because the men pushing those topics want to monopolize the discussion and framing and often centrist types don’t challenge that at all because of some self-perceived high ground to tolerating intolerance (not something you tend to believe in if you have experienced serious hate).
Generally speaking im absolutely for a better representation of women and minorities. However, theres on criterium for it: it must fit with the lore. If the lore makes sense with a woman, go for it. If you just replace the main character with a woman, but don’t adjust the lore in a way that its clear that its an entire new storyline or so, than I’m against swapping out the main character. Inclusion shouldn’t lower the quality of a game.
Agreed.
Ciri is a huge part of the Witcher games.
They prepped us for her becoming a Witcher or something adjacent to it in TW3.
There’s no conspiracy to turn you gay or trans here. It’s just a continuation of the series.
Don’t know anything about the Witcher, but assuming that it is as you said, than that’s a good thing.
Though talking about the lore, that had better not be regular witcher alchemy in that potion. She explicitly hasn’t had the special diet, trial of grasses or the mutations so witcher potions should basically be poison she can’t process at all.
Canonically she’s witcher trained but not subjected to any of the mutations, but she’s also of the Elder Blood and a Source. So compared to a traditional witcher you’d expect her to be slower and weaker (because she lacks the mutations) but have greater access to magic (because she’s a Source). You’d also expect her to use most witcher tools and gadgets, but not potions (because they should just be poison to her, not having the altered gut of a witcher).
So maybe it’s not actually the DEI itself that makes the game bad but actually the shitty game design and writing that makes the game bad and lore suck.
That’s a pretty good description. Inclusion for the same of inclusion sucks.
From shitty YouTuber influencers.
A guy from work constantly tells me how I should feel about a game based on a YouTuber he watches. He doesn’t play it, he just parrot that shit. Often it’s the most sexist, disgusting take.
And most of these influencers are outright basement dwellers with pride.
So like, they’re getting shitty takes from shitty human beings who are proud of being shitty?
I don’t think I’ll ever understand why people have a problem with a female protagonist. I’m a girl and my fave games ever all involve playing as male protagonists. One of the core essences of playing videogames is escapism, to be someone that you’re not, I don’t see what’s immersion breaking about it. I’ve seen the trailer and I’m hyped!
Metroid FTW
Ciri is such a great character in the books. I hope they can get a lot of that personality into her in the game, too.
It seems like it from the trailer, but I’m nervous about the voice actress, she does sound different than 3… But I’m willing to give her a fair chance
From the trailer, its clear that its ~15-20 year time skip, she is able to drink witcher potions so she passed the trial of grasses, and clearly has much more control of her powers.
The trial of grasses point is where im concerned, yes she would have plot armor for a procedure that has a notriously low survival rate, plus the school of the wolf (Geralt, Vesimier and co.) destroied their old records after the events of the first game so that noone could produce more witchers.
I don’t get it, Witcher already has a bunch of female protagonists.
Funny how none of them had a problem with like 10 games about Lara Croft.
