A 3rd Witcher 3 enlargement, Songs of the Previous, was solely introduced yesterday, however it seems we have seen the sword Geralt unsheaths within the art work earlier than.
Roughly a month in the past, on thirtieth April, CD Projekt Pink shared art work and a poem celebrating the Gaelic competition of Beltane, or Belleteyn as the corporate referred to as it – a competition which marks the start of summer season. Within the image, we see the eponymous witcher Geralt sitting, leant in opposition to a tree, whereas his bardic good friend Dandelion serenades close by nighttime revellers.
On first inspection there’s not way more to see, however look nearer within the backside left of the picture, by Geralt’s facet and beneath the phrases “Have a magical Belleteyn”, and you may see two sheathed swords, and certainly one of these has an unusually ornate crossguard, seen even on this space of painted darkish.
The sword has a multilayered crossguard. There is a extra practical and sturdy V-shaped crossguard overlaid by a golden, swooping, swirling ornament of kinds. It is a design that like-for-like matches the sword Geralt holds within the Songs of the Previous enlargement art work. Reddit consumer Kasavir created a useful overlay picture for side-by-side comparability.
Given the outlandish and distinctive design of the sword, the probabilities of this being a coincidence are extraordinarily small. That is backed up by realising this piece of ‘Belleteyn’ art work was produced barely a month earlier than the enlargement’s official announcement, so the artists concerned would have been nicely conscious of its significance. However is there something greater than an a-ha ‘we hid it in plain sight’ Easter egg happening right here?
There could possibly be. There may be some hypothesis whirring round that Songs of the Previous takes place within the coastal kingdom of Cidaris, which is beneath Redania and near Skelige – areas from the bottom Witcher 3 sport. Cidaris can also be a area the place Dandelion (often known as Jaskier within the books) is assumed to return from, so ought to the “Songs” within the Songs of the Previous title check with him, as a bard, then perhaps this beforehand issued art work presents us a snapshot of what is to return.
Every little thing else is dependent upon the importance of the sword itself, and far has been product of it after the enlargement announcement as a result of, nicely, there’s not a lot else to go on. The overwhelming thought appears to be Geralt is holding Ciri’s Witcher 4 sword, however whereas there’s a shut resemblance, I’ve studied the current Witcher 4 trailers and may confidently say they are not the identical weapon.
You possibly can clearly see in The Witcher 4 announcement trailer that the hilts are totally different, and that the blade itself, whereas equally notched, is totally different as nicely. Ciri’s precise sword has three curved-notches whereas there are solely two within the Songs of the Previous art work, and her sword has an space on the base of the blade reduce out, whereas the sword within the Songs of the Previous art work doesn’t. The Unreal demo of Witcher 4 from final summer season additionally exhibits the hilt, maybe extra clearly, the place you’ll be able to see the variations. Ciri doesn’t draw the blade on this demonstration, although.
If not Ciri’s sword, then, what is the significance of it? There are some individuals who’ve recommended the sword is already in The Witcher 3 sport, as Gesheft, a strong silver sword. The blades are actually very comparable. Maybe, then, the sword is not vital in any respect. In any case, it would not be the primary time Geralt has held a sword in Witcher 3 enlargement art work – he did it for each Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine.
Facet word: it should be greater than coincidence that the variety of swords on Geralt’s particular person in Witcher 3 enlargement art work has grown similar to the sequential variety of the expansions themselves. Within the first enlargement’s art work Hearts of Stone, for instance, Geralt has one sword. It is two for Blood and Wine and three for Songs of the Previous. That is a intelligent contact, assuming it is supposed.
Precisely how teasing CD Projekt Pink is being right here, then, it is arduous to inform with out all the particulars, and with Songs of the Overdue subsequent 12 months, there is a lengthy advertising marketing campaign nonetheless to return. The subsequent beat of that, by the way, might be late summer season, so maybe some questions might be answered then. We’re additionally anticipating to see extra of The Witcher 4 at Unreal Fest later in June.
