The director of *The Witcher 4*, Sebastian Kalemba, has clarified that a new video features the same in-game model of Ciri as seen in the original trailer, dispelling rumors that her appearance had been altered due to fan feedback. Yesterday, CD Projekt released a behind-the-scenes look at *The Witcher 4*'s cinematic reveal trailer, showcasing two brief clips at 2:11 and 5:47 that provided close-up views of Ciri. Fans noticed subtle differences in Ciri's facial appearance in these clips compared to the main trailer, sparking discussions and speculation about potential changes to her model.

These observations led to some online comments suggesting that Ciri looked "ugly" in the initial trailer and that CD Projekt might have responded to the feedback by modifying her appearance. However, Kalemba took to social media to clarify that no modifications had been made. He explained that the behind-the-scenes footage showed a "raw" version of Ciri's in-game model without the cinematic enhancements like facial animation, lighting, and virtual camera effects applied in the official trailer.

Kalemba emphasized that variations in character appearance are a normal part of the game development process, especially at this stage where the character's look can differ across different media such as trailers, 3D models, and in-game visuals. This clarification was met with humorous yet insightful comments from fans, such as one from user Fehndrix on the Witcher subreddit who noted, "Redditor discovers the effect that lighting can have on an in-game face model, is confused."

*The Witcher 4* marks the beginning of a new trilogy set after the events of *The Witcher 3*, with Ciri taking the lead role instead of Geralt. In an exclusive interview with IGN, executive producer Małgorzata Mitręga explained that Ciri was a "very organic, logical choice" for the protagonist. She highlighted Ciri's rich, layered character from the books and the natural progression of her story following Geralt's farewell in the previous game.

Kalemba added that Ciri's younger age allows for greater player freedom in shaping her character, offering new avenues for the developers to explore her story and development. Both Mitręga and Kalemba acknowledged potential fan backlash regarding Ciri's role but affirmed that her position as the protagonist was a deliberate and well-considered decision from the start.

In a separate interview with IGN, Doug Cockle, the voice actor for Geralt, expressed his excitement about the shift to Ciri as the protagonist, noting the potential for an interesting continuation of the saga based on developments in the books.

For more insights into *The Witcher 4*, check out our exclusive trailer breakdown and an interview with CD Projekt discussing how they plan to avoid a *Cyberpunk 2077*-style launch disaster.