Upon completing The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, players were left hanging with a handful of unresolved plot threads that left too many characters’ fates open-ended. The dense lore and worldbuilding that CD Projekt Red packed into The Witcher 3 was both a blessing and a curse in that regard, with a beautifully fleshed out universe and an intriguing plot that was so crowded there was no possible way to tie off every loose end. But, with the prospective release of The Witcher 4, developers now have the chance to resolve some of these incomplete story moments.
The definition of what was and was not resolved in The Witcher 3 becomes complicated due to the number of possible endings to the game. There are over thirty different ways for the final chapter of Geralt’s story to end, and as such, there is no real canon for The Witcher 3 to go on. Hopefully, when CD Projekt Red officially announces The Witcher 4, players will have a better idea of what direction the new game will be going in.
One of the fates left up to players was that of Ciri, Geralt’s adopted daughter and a child of the Elder Blood. Finding her and securing her safety was one of the main objectives of The Witcher 3, and the choices made in-game decided her outcome. It is possible for her to either become a Witcher, go on to become Empress of Nilfgaard, or she can die. As such a powerful being, whether or not Ciri rules an empire or is even alive makes her a vital character that should appear in The Witcher 4.
Unresolved Plot Threads From The Witcher 3 For The Witcher 4
Speaking in terms of politics, another point of contention in The Witcher 3 was the kingdoms of Redania, Temeria, and Nilfgaard warring over who controlled the northern regions of the continent. Each kingdom has vastly different political structures and rules the commonwealth in very contrasting ways. Players had the choice in The Witcher 3 to aid any one of the kingdoms, and as such any of the three could have seized power. Hopefully in the next installment of the franchise, CD Projekt Red will elaborate on the canonical ending.
The Lodge of Sorceresses has been largely forgotten about in The Witcher games since Assassins of Kings, and some closure on what became of the society of mages would be welcome. Although The Lodge is briefly mentioned in Wild Hunt, what became of them after Radovid began his persecution of mages in Novigrad remains vague at best. If CD Projekt Red takes the chance to expound upon The Lodge in The Witcher 4, it would also give an opportunity to elaborate on the fate of some of its members including Keira Metz, Philippa Eilhart, Triss Merigold, and Yennefer.
What players can expect from The Witcher 4 is all up to interpretation at this stage. Rumors have circulated on many possibilities, including the game being a prequel, Ciri being the leading character, or the protagonist being a customizable player-insert character. All of this goes to say that there is no lack of content for the potential sequel, and there are plenty of unresolved plot threads from The Witcher 3 to finish off.