Following in Wild Hunt’s Footsteps: Why Witcher 4 Should Emulate the Map Style

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt left a mark with its expansive map, and there’s hope that The Witcher 4 will follow that tradition. The world of The Continent offers a treasure trove of places to explore, whether players are revisiting familiar areas like Velen and Novigrad or venturing into brand-new territories. The upcoming game should certainly embrace a vast open map akin to its predecessor. Wild Hunt skillfully sidestepped the common criticism of open-world games feeling void by ensuring areas were rich with civilizations and, naturally, teeming with deadly creatures.

Open-world games frequently face the challenge of appearing barren, yet The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt largely dodged this bullet. Its map was brimming with settlements of varying sizes, each beckoning Geralt’s assistance. Even the more isolated regions felt alive, populated by threatening monsters that kept players on their toes—particularly fearsome adversaries like the leshy, which tended to haunt players in less inhabited zones. The map’s one downfall was Skellige, which, despite having interesting quests on its main islands, featured numerous smaller islands and expanses of water that left players with little to engage with besides scattered caches and occasional battles with aquatic adversaries. This lack of engagement caused many to abandon their exploration efforts there, unlike in bustling areas like Novigrad or Toussaint. The Witcher 4 should learn from this, providing more content in such open spaces or focusing only on the more engaging sections of Skellige if it returns.

The anticipation for The Witcher 4 includes the prospect of exploring uncharted territories and revisiting beloved locales. A large, lively map filled with varied settings ranging from quaint villages to sprawling, densely populated towns, alongside wilderness teeming with monsters, would certainly hit the mark. Revisiting some of the classic locales from Wild Hunt, like catching up with Geralt—perhaps now enjoying the vineyard life in Toussaint—sounds enticing. The vast, unexplored areas remaining on The Continent, plus Ciri’s unique ability to traverse worlds, offer a wealth of opportunities for fresh adventures.

The series hasn’t delved deeply into areas like Ciri’s childhood home in Cintra, which is now under Nilfgaard’s rule. Returning there could present a poignant moment in the new game. Other untapped corners, such as the Great Sea, the Korath Desert, vast sections of Kaedwen and Redania, and Lyria, stand ready for exploration. Despite Geralt’s origin from Rivia, players haven’t really experienced it in the games, marking another potential plot point for The Witcher 4.

In setting its scene, The Witcher 4 would do well to emulate Wild Hunt’s clever map design. The latter achieved a balance, crafting a large but manageable world that was divided into meaningful regions like Velen and Novigrad. By offering compelling lands rather than overly vast, sparsely populated expanses, the game enticed players to explore every corner. This approach not only made Wild Hunt a standout but could also enriched The Witcher 4, bringing a similarly unforgettable experience to both long-time fans and new players exploring alongside Ciri.