CD Projekt Red's Game Design Philosophy: Surprising NPC Deaths and Killing Beloved Characters.

CD Projekt Red's decision to kill off Vesemir in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt was difficult but necessary for narrative impact and urgency, according to quest director Paweł Sasko. Vesemir's death was essential for giving Ciri the motivation needed to take on the game's antagonists. Sasko wanted to set a standard for surprising players and provide Ciri with a call to action. The decision to kill off such a significant character was a move too powerful not to make and a reminder of how the loss of a character can provide stirring narrative potential.