What these new monsters might be depends on when and where the new Witcher sage takes place. After all, many monster species were already endangered or extinct by the time Geralt was active. Thus, a new Witcher game that takes place in the past could feature a greater number of fearsome, hostile monsters, while one taking place after the events of the trilogy could present more sentient yet equally fearsome creatures.
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If The Witcher 4 Takes Place After the Conjunction of the Spheres
Assuming the new entry to The Witcher series takes place before Geralt’s time, there will likely be more monsters roaming the Continent. The time right after the Conjunction of the Spheres in The Witcher would be an interesting setting, as this was when creatures from different dimensions became trapped on the Continent. As such, the developer could introduce monsters that were believed to be rare or extinct during the events of The Witcher trilogy.
Monsters from The Witcher 3 like hyms, godlings, and sylvans could appear more frequently in a Witcher game set thousands of years in the past. CD Projekt Red could even introduce completely new monsters. Many of The Witcher’s existing monsters are based on creatures from Western folk tales, and there are still plenty of them to draw inspiration from.
For instance, the Nuckelavee of Scottish folklore is a fearsome demon believed to spread famine and disease. It’s often depicted as a tall horse with a humanoid figure permanently attached to its back. Given the Nuckelavee’s power, it could definitely serve as a challenging monster contract in the next Witcher game.
Another possible creature would be the easily recognizable goblins from British and European mythology. Though they aren’t as fearsome as the Nuckelavee, they’re described as mischievous household spirits. As such, they could set the stage for one of The Witcher 4’s more morally ambiguous quests.
If The Witcher 4 Takes Place After Geralt’s Story
Alternatively, if The Witcher 4 takes place sometime after the events of The Witcher 3, then there’d be far fewer beastly monsters roaming the world. However, there’ll probably be more sentient creatures hiding in plain sight. Just like Dudu the doppler or Regis the higher vampire, some monsters can pass off as humans, allowing them to live within the safety of city walls. Creatures like werewolves, demons, and other shapeshifters could easily blend into society, then.
That said, there’s also plenty of opportunity to introduce “artificial” monsters. Assuming that the use of magic is still prevalent in The Witcher universe, it wouldn’t be farfetched to believe that mages could create new monsters — from powerful hybrids to more mutated humans, like the witchers. The Mad Witcher Kiyan is one example stemming from The Witcher 3’s most chilling quests.
Overall, The Witcher 4 could prove to be a very different experience from the original trilogy. The monsters alone could make the upcoming entry feel like an entirely different world, giving players a whole new perspective on the Continent. This would be emphasized if CD Projekt Red opted to explore regions outside the Continent and perhaps even introduce creatures from non-Western folk tales. Unfortunately, the new Witcher saga is still a long way from release, so all the community can do for now is theorize.
A new Witcher game is currently in development.
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