There is no denying that the Witcher franchise is an immensely entertaining one. From the novels, written by Andrzej Sapkowski, to the video games created by CD Projekt Red, and everything in-between. This explains why, regardless of how old the franchise has become, or how much work has been done on it, people just do not want to let go. As fans, we definitely do not, and I am almost certain that CD Projekt Red do not want to either. This is why I am confident that they may include some form of a Cyberpunk Witcher into their upcoming title, Cyberpunk 2077.
In case you did not know, Cyberpunk 2077 is actually based on the pen-and-paper role-playing game, Cyberpunk 2020. Its creator, Mike Pondsmith, is actually working closely with CD Projekt Red in order to bring his world to life in the most faithful way possible. This may be a cause for concern for a few Witcher fans who desperately want to see Geralt, Ciri, or maybe even Yennefer and Triss inside the game. Let me tell you this folks: it is still a video game, and it is still being developed by the Polish developers we all know and love. I have a teeny tiny feeling that they will be incorporating The Witcher in some way or another, into Cyberpunk 2077.
In fact, I have a few theories of how they might do this. As such, I have decided to put together a little list of the ways in which CD Projekt Red could incorporate a Cyberpunk Witcher into their game.
A character called The Cyberpunk Witcher
Yes. A full-blown, completely animated and voiced Witcher character inside a game that has nothing to do with The Witcher. Sure, it may sound far-fetched, but hear me out. What if Cyberpunk 2020 has its own version of Replica Hunters or something to that effect, but also called Witchers? Or what if some guy just calls himself a “Witcher”, because he is a delusional hitman that hunts his targets – not for money, but to rid the world of the monsters inside them?
What if the player character meets a man called The Cyberpunk Witcher who has forgotten his past. This character’s weapons are seemingly ancient blades that can cut right through most augmentations with ease. His eyes are augmented with night vision, and he sounds gruff and hot, and all you want to do is join him in a hot bubble bath. I digress, but this is seriously the best take on a Cyberpunk Witcher that I can think of.
tldr; Geralt is reborn as a Cyberpunk Witcher, he is a companion and love interest… because why the hell not?
A private corporation that builds augments called Witcher Corp.
A much smaller, yet still prominent Cyberpunk Witcher easter egg that CD Projekt Red might include, comes by way of world building! Throughout the game, the player character can find, buy, and “carve” various augmentations into their body. In the first (and for now, only) gameplay demo, a doctor augments the player character. While he does this, he mentions a few names – brands and companies who created the modifications they are installing. Why not, then, make one of those many companies, Witcher Corp.?
Considering the very nature of the game, one can imagine that certain corporations specialise in certain augmentations. This is a common, yet very effective, trope that novels, comics, video games, and even TV and film take advantage of all the time. It makes sense. In real life, certain companies just do better at certain things, compared to others. As such, I propose this: Witcher Corp. specialises in augmentations that manipulate gravity! Arm augmentations, for instance, can shoot pulses from palms that mimics Geralt’s Aard Sign. Alternatively, it can shoot out flammable gas, and mix that with a spark form the augment’s fingertips in order to shoot a flame blast, ala Igni. What about cranial augmentations such as night vision, or something that mimics Witcher Senses? Oh the possibilities are endless!
Bring Gwent back as a mini game with its own quest line
Gwent is an incredible game that first made its way into The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. It is a virtual collectible card game (CCG) where you build decks based on the different kingdoms and factions of The Witcher. You collect rare cards based on creatures, prominent characters, and even the main characters themselves. These cards are then used to battle against opponents with decks of their own. You get the drift! Thing is, it never really made sense how Geralt of Rivia could walk around with a bunch of cards that had his very own face on them! Sure, one could argue that having the beautiful witches as cards kind of made sense in canon, but Geralt never really wanted anything to do with anything. In Cyberpunk 2077, however, this is an entirely different matter.
Where characters playing with cards that feature their faces seems weird and immersion-breaking in The Witcher, the very same concept actually works really well in a game set in a very plausible future. Prominent characters such as Johnny Silverhand would no doubt have a card with his own likeness in his pocket, just like your pal Cyberpunk Witcher will have a card of his own as well, right? Of course! Why not bring Gwent back in the best way possible: by changing it up and incorporating it into the Cyberpunk 2077 world. This will not alter Pondsmith’s creation in any way, save for adding a mini game and tournament quest line. Better yet: why not bring it back in the very same form as it is in The Witcher 3? Playing with a deck of cards based on a fantasy title, inside a science-fiction game, somehow makes even more sense!
Two or three women from The Witcher, based on Triss, Yen, and Ciri
Okay, fine. I totally agree that having a fully animated, voiced, and fleshed-out companion called Cyberpunk Witcher may be a tad too much; but let us be real: people really love the main women featured in the Witcher games! There is nothing more beautiful than the relationship that my Geralt built with Triss as I made my way through the first game; joined the elves in the second; and searched for my long-lost love in the third. Throughout all three games, I always chose Triss because 1: she is a badass, and 2: she is, simply put, the most fiery of the few mainline love interests the games have on offer! With that said, having Yennefer and Ciri around certianly helped a heck of a lot in the final game.
As such, I propose this: what if CD Projekt Red simply incorporate these Witcher women into the open world of the game? There is no need to work a quest into the game just to please Witcher fans (though that would be incredible). Rather, just have a very similar-looking woman called Ciri, or Yennefer, or even Triss, just kind of, be there. You know, as part of the world building experience. They could be the player character’s neighbour, a random NPC that works at the local coffee house, a CEO of a company, or even just mentioned in passing! Of all ways to incorporate a Cyberpunk Witcher into the game, this is probably the most likely.
Clothing, skins, and cosmetics based on The Witcher
I call the previous entry in this list the most likely entry. However, when you think about it, simply featuring cosmetic items may be even more likely in today’s gaming climate. That is, of course, if this game belonged to any other development studio other than CD Projekt Red! With that said, it must be noted that Cyberpunk 2077 will feature a full-fledged character creation and customisation system. In the same gameplay demo I referenced before, you can see the narrator go through some of the customisation that players will get to play with. These include hair and body sliders, as well as clothing, tattoos, makeup, piercings, and “many, many more”.
This is why I figure that, whether or not some Cyberpunk Witcher joins your crew as a companion; whether or not you can meet up with either of the Witcher women in-game; or even whether not you can become the champion of some Gwent tournament while wearing augmented Witcher Corp. vision augments; you will, at the very least, get to dress your character up as your favourite Witcher star. That is a hope, anyway.
That is it for the number of ways that I think CD Projekt Red will keep their Witcher games from becoming nothing more than a memory as the new console generation becomes a reality. Naturally, I think that the developers will be incorporating The Witcher in some way or another. Chances are that fans will quickly find the references after it officially releases. Until then however, all we can do is speculate about what a Cyberpunk Witcher could be like.
Cyberpunk 2077 will release on 16 April 2020. It is available for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Microsoft Windows.
Junior Editor at Vamers. From Superman to Ironman; Bill Rizer to Sam Fisher and everything in-between, Edward loves it all. He is a Bachelor of Arts student and English Major specialising in Language and Literature. He is an avid writer and casual social networker with a flare for all things tech related.
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Edward Swardthttps://vamers.com/author/edwardswardt/
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Edward Swardthttps://vamers.com/author/edwardswardt/
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Edward Swardthttps://vamers.com/author/edwardswardt/
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Edward Swardthttps://vamers.com/author/edwardswardt/
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Edward Swardthttps://vamers.com/author/edwardswardt/
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Edward Swardthttps://vamers.com/author/edwardswardt/
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Edward Swardthttps://vamers.com/author/edwardswardt/
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Edward Swardthttps://vamers.com/author/edwardswardt/
