Revision 5

Confirmed Return

Gwent is coming back. Game Director Sebastian Kalemba confirmed it plainly: "It's a part of the experience, absolutely. We also love Gwent." Executive Producer Malgorzata Mitrega added: "I don't think anyone will be disappointed."

Those quotes are about as direct as confirmations get, but they leave nearly everything about the implementation unclear. How Gwent will work in the new game, whether it uses the same rules as in the prior digital version, and how it fits into the world have not been detailed.

Background

In The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Gwent was a faction-based collectible card mini-game played against NPCs throughout the world, with cards earned through shops, opponents, and quests. Whether The Witcher IV retains those mechanics, factions, or deck rules is unconfirmed. CDPR previously ran a standalone digital Gwent product and announced a physical Gwent card set; The Witcher IV's implementation is unrelated and unconfirmed.

What We Do Not Know

Most details remain unrevealed:

• Whether the rules match the version that shipped with the previous Witcher game or are redesigned

• What factions or deck types will be available (Kovir-based factions seem likely given the setting)

• How card collection will work

• Whether Gwent ties into the story or side quests

• Whether there is a tournament or competitive element

Given that Ciri is the protagonist rather than Geralt, the framing of Gwent could shift. In the previous Witcher game, Geralt was an established Gwent player; Ciri has no equivalent precedent in earlier titles, so how the mini-game integrates with her character is open.