A fan of The Witcher has imagined how the upcoming Witcher 4's UI might look if CD Projekt Red chooses to make Ciri the game's lead character. The creator of this concept took inspiration from The Witcher 3's original menu design, but aimed to improve it in every way possible, resulting in a cleaner and more user-friendly UI.
Many players know that navigating through the various in-game screens of The Witcher 3, such as skills, glossary, and inventory, can be a daunting task due to their overcrowded RPG nature, particularly when playing on a console. As a result, the Witcher 4 devs may need to reconsider their approach to this aspect of the game. In response, senior UX/UI artist Artem Sivochalov shared his version of The Witcher 4's menu design, featuring Cirilla as the potential protagonist. However, it's worth noting that the studio has not yet officially announced any details about the next game in The Witcher saga, so this is purely a fan's speculation.
The image below showcases Ciri's inventory screen, which features several familiar elements borrowed from the previous game. Like Geralt of Rivia, Ciri relies on two swords, bombs, and potions to complete her witcher contracts. However, all gear icons have been reworked, and their positioning has been improved for better readability. Additionally, there is a concept image of the in-game glossary screen, which offers players tips on defeating various monsters. One significant change from Wild Hunt is that the designer replaced the in-game models of creatures that CDPR used with artwork, resulting in a glossary that looks more like a fairy tale book than an encyclopedia.
The creator of the UI design project mentioned that he used artist Kaines Elande's images of Ciri and a mermaid in his work. Sivochalov's wife later shared his project on Reddit, where players shared their opinions about the updated UI design.
"Let's be real here, this is much better than The Witcher 3 UI, which is a bit clunky," commented Redditor Mr_Krumpi, indicating how players still feel about the original Wild Hunt menu design. "Looks really cool and also console-friendly," reads another opinion. Some players, though, compared the gear sheet to "every Assassin's Creed inventory" while stressing that there is still room for improvement in the final UI design of The Witcher 4.
CDPR previously announced that it will be quite some time until the first game in a new Witcher saga arrives, and therefore it's too early to reveal any particular details, including its lead cast. However, being one of the most important characters in the entire franchise, Ciri has a good chance of appearing in future games in some capacity. "Really hope we get to play as Ciri in the next game," wrote jad-dee95, but only time will tell.