CD Projekt Red has annoounced Ciri as the second playable character in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, IGN reports.
The Polish studio confirmed that players will not be able to switch between Geralt and Ciri at any time. Instead, there are specific points during the game in which you'll take control of her and the developer says these moments will be very important to the story.
Ciri is descended from a long lost elven line and is described as ashen-haired women from ancient prophecy. Pursued by the titular Wild Hunt as well as the Nilfgaard Empire, and is drawn to Geralt. While it's not yet clear how she'll play, CD Projekt Red has teased a mythical power and has said she's both agile and fast on her feet.
"Ciri is playable only during certain moments in the game – we introduce her to give gamers another perspective in the story to make it even more engaging," the studio's Robert Malinowski explains. "You won’t play as her for long periods of time, but since she’s crucial to the plot, we thought that additional insight will allow gamers to better bond with this cool character.
"We introduce Ciri as supportive narrative tool and not because of gameplay mechanics. The Witcher was always about Geralt and that has not changed, but that handful of moments when you play as Ciri provide us with glimpses of how the story feels from the other side.
"She’s a living weapon… and everyone wants to control her. This, plus she also has her own will and agenda, so it’s not just finding her that counts. I think that is the most important aspect of this character. Geralt knows Ciri since she was a child. She’s Geralt’s apprentice and they have a close emotional bond – he trained her so she could become a witcheress."
CD Projekt RED recently announced a second delay for The Witcher 3, which now releases on PC, PS4, and Xbox One from May 19th, 2015.