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Role

Philipp Weber is the Narrative Director of The Witcher IV at CD Projekt Red. He is responsible for the game's quest design philosophy, branching narrative structure, and the integration of story with gameplay.

Background

Weber is a veteran of CD Projekt Red with significant experience on The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. He worked as a quest designer on that game and was involved in crafting the side quests that became the gold standard for open-world RPG storytelling.

Design Philosophy

Weber has been outspoken about the narrative standards for The Witcher IV. His most quoted statement is the no-fetch-quest rule: "We don't do fetch quests. A quest has to be something interesting. I have to feel, as a player, that if I played that quest, my time was well spent and not just spent."

On moral ambiguity, Weber explained: "The world of The Witcher IV is a place full of moral ambiguity, and so the stories we tell there rarely provide easy answers of good and evil." He wants players to make decisions that feel intuitive in the moment but lead to consequences that are clearly visible and impactful.

Weber also addressed the balance between player agency and authored storytelling: "Even a good choice can have bad consequences." This approach builds on The Witcher 3's legacy of morally grey decision-making, where choices like sparing a monster or siding with a faction could have unexpected ramifications hours later.

Collaboration

Weber works alongside Story Director Tomasz Marchewka and lead writer Borys Pugacz-Muraszkiewicz. Together they form the core narrative team shaping the game's story and quest design.