Modders find cut ending of The Witcher 3 thanks to REDkit — Annifer betrays the sorceresses

Youtuber xLetalis and modder Glassfish released information about another ending to The Witcher 3 cut by the developers, nine years after the game’s release. In short, CD Project Red deleted the part of Witcher 3 in which Annifer «surrendered the» Sorceresses’ Lodge to Emperor Emgir.

Enthusiasts were able to make the discovery after all this time thanks to a new a tool for creating a REDkit modification. In the final part of the game, after Geralt defeats Eredyn, it is quickly revealed that Avalak’h took Ciri to the tower on Undwyck to defeat the White Cold. Subsequently, regardless of which ending the player chooses, the fate of the Sorceresses’ Lodge is not revealed. This cut scene took place between the battle with Eredin and the climax of the tower game.

In the extended ending sequence, Geralt is actually out of commission for several days after the Battle of Undvik. He wakes up in a Nilfgaardian medical tent with a couple of the emperor’s doctors arguing about his chances of survival. After talking to Annifer, he realizes that Ciri has disappeared and suspects Avalak’ha of treachery.

It seems like the cut could have contained 15-20 minutes of additional dialog and exploration, when Geralt could have talked to Tris and to Annifer, talked to several unique groups of Nilfgaardian soldiers, and even witnessed the Jarls come for Krakh an Kreith’s body.

A surprise occurs, the player goes with Annifer to the members of the lodge to find Ciri’s whereabouts. Some missing animation data suggests knowing what was to happen for sure, but it seems that Annifer sabotages the divination ritual so that Philippa, Fringilla, and Marguerite can be captured by the Nilfgaardians — the sorceresses will later be executed. Annifer also gives Tris a chance to escape. Similar to the scene with Krach’s body, there are a few small variations on how this can happen, depending on Geralt’s previous decisions in the game.

It looks like this sequence was close to making it into the game: the full voice acting and detailed design contrasts sharply with the rough-hewn previous prototype a mission on the Moon, once planned for Cyberpunk 2077. Glassfish Brothers in Arms modification to fix bugs and restore deleted content is available on Witcher 3 Nexus.

Source: PC Gamer