Ciri Rides Again: First Witcher 4 Gameplay Shown

CD Projekt Red has finally dropped a real in-engine look at The Witcher 4, and it wasn’t just another flashy cinematic teaser. During Epic’s “State of Unreal” showcase, we got a full-on segment of gameplay featuring Ciri riding through Kovir, slaying monsters, and dealing with some classic Witcher-style shady merchants. Even better, it wasn’t a trailer—it was actual gameplay in Unreal Engine 5, live-played by cinematic director Kajetan Kapuściński.

The city looked alive. The cloak physics was immaculate. There’s just something about the way Ciri’s horse—Kelpie, not Roach—moves through the world that screams polish. She takes a manticore contract, tracks a bloody path, and delivers the news to a shady contractor more interested in smuggling than safety. All of this was wrapped in that dark, morally grey Witcher tone we've missed.

Gameplay Breakdown: Visuals, Voice, and Vibes

The vibe is very much Witcher 3—but grown up. The part we saw echoes Geralt’s old Novigrad demo, with a twist. Instead of a straight-up beast hunt, there’s deception, ulterior motives, and quiet character judgment. We didn’t get to see the dialogue system in action, unfortunately, since the camera cut to some fish mid-conversation (yes, really).

Still, Ciara Berkeley’s voice work already makes a strong impression. She brings a confident, more mature version of Ciri to life—one that feels natural, not like a Geralt copy. She sounds like a Witcher now, and there’s real weight behind her lines.

"We are making this game to be the most immersive and ambitious open-world Witcher game ever." — Sebastian Kalemba (CDPR)

You can chalk that up to typical marketing fluff, but CDPR has earned a little benefit of the doubt. It’s been a full decade since Witcher 3 launched, and the tech has obviously caught up with their vision. Ciri’s return, powered by Unreal Engine 5 and a sharper development pipeline, looks like it could be a return to form for the studio, especially after the rocky launch of Cyberpunk 2077.

So yes, The Witcher 4 is still years away. But with gameplay now public, a playable protagonist, and CDPR’s confidence beaming, this might be the start of something big again.