Summary
A Duolingo user discovered a hidden reference to the massively popularWitcherseries while using the language-learning app. Since its first story in 1986,The Witcherhas garnered international acclaim from its legions of fans scattered all over the globe, with comics, video games, and a live-action TV series providing several portals into author Andrzej Sapkowski’s fantastical world of magic and monsters.
Even though it already boasts a massive fanbase, theWitcherseries is still growing. Multiple projects based on the franchise are already in the production pipeline, such as the next season of the Netflix live-action adaptation and the accompanying animated film,The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep. Video game developer CD Projekt Red also recently kicked off the nextproduction phase ofThe Witcher 4, which will mark the beginning of the next mainline trilogy of games for the critically acclaimed series. The studio is additionally working on several other projects, including a multiplayer-focusedWitchertitle known under the codename of Project Sirius. With the franchise’s increasing prominence in the mainstream, it might not come as a surprise that people have begun to reference the series more and more.
The Witcherhas even earned a reference from the widely popular language-learning tool, Duolingo. Reddit user GeraltAndYennefer first noticed the Easter egg while they were reviewing their Finnish lessons and saw a phrase specifically referencing a hedgehog groomsman. They believed the sentence might have been a nod towards “A Question of Price,” a short story by Sapkowski and one of the tales that shined a light on the history betweenThe Witcher’s protagonist Geralt of Riviaand his adopted daughter, Ciri. Duolingo laterconfirmed to IGNthat the phrase was meant to allude toThe Witcher.
For context, “A Question of Price” is the fifth story inThe Last Wishand covers how Ciri became Geralt’s ward throughtheWitcherseries' infamous Law of Surprise. The story begins with Geralt attending a banquet honoring the birthday of the princess of the kingdom of Cintra, Pavetta. During the celebrations, a cursed knight with a face covered in spikes like a hedgehog asks for Pavetta’s hand in marriage as a reward for previously saving the life of her father, King Roegner.
The Witcher Prepares For Its Next Chapter
The Witcher’s increasing prevalence has seen the series rise from cult stardom to international sensation. However, the higher it rises, the farther it has to fall. Maintaining the quality expected from a work based on Sapkowski’s beloved fantasy novel series is an unending battle, and expectations haven’t always been met. The next trilogy of video game adaptations is expected to launch within the next few years, and only time will tell ifthe future of theWitcherfranchisewill retain its lofty position as a beloved fantasy series staple.
The Witcher
The Witcher is a 3D action RPG series developed by CD Projekt Red featuring the exploits of Geralt of Rivia. Steeped in fantasy, The Witcher series is based on the books by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski.
