When the perfect crossover gets blocked by corporate strategy
Picture this: Geralt of Rivia dropping into Guilty Gear Strive, casting Igni signs alongside Sol Badguy’s Gunflame attacks. Ciri teleporting through projectiles with her Elder Blood powers. It would have been incredible, right? Well, according to some fascinating revelations from Anime Expo 2025, we almost got exactly that.
The Original Plan That Never Happened
During a developer panel at Anime Expo, Arc System Works producer Ken Miyauchi and CD Projekt Red’s Japan Country Manager Satoru Homma shared some behind-the-scenes details about how Lucy from Cyberpunk: Edgerunners ended up in Guilty Gear Strive. The twist? She wasn’t their first choice.
When Arc System Works initially approached CD Projekt Red about a fighting game crossover, they had their sights set on the medieval fantasy world of The Witcher. Specifically, they wanted Geralt and Ciri to bring their monster-hunting skills to the world of Guilty Gear. It makes perfect sense when you think about it – both characters have established combat styles that would translate beautifully into a fighting game format.
Why CD Projekt Red Said No
Here’s where things get interesting from a business perspective. CD Projekt Red declined the Witcher crossover because they were already deep into developing The Witcher 4, and they didn’t want to do that kind of crossover while the new game was in development. Instead, they suggested their cyberpunk universe as an alternative.
From a marketing standpoint, this decision makes sense. When you’re building anticipation for a major sequel, you want to maintain control over how your characters are presented to the public. Having Geralt appear in another game might dilute the impact of his potential role in The Witcher 4, or create confusion about the character’s canonical status.
The Irony of Past Collaborations
What makes this situation particularly interesting is the precedent CD Projekt Red set back in 2018. Geralt appeared as a guest character in SoulCalibur VI with the company’s full support, complete with his iconic voice actor Doug Cockle reprising the role. At the time, CD Projekt Red seemed enthusiastic about the collaboration, highlighting how well Geralt fit into the weapon-based fighting game.
The contrast between their 2018 enthusiasm and their 2025 hesitation reveals how much the gaming landscape has changed. With The Witcher 4 representing a major investment and the future of one of gaming’s most beloved franchises, CD Projekt Red has understandably become more protective of their intellectual property.
Lucy: The Alternative That Worked
Instead of The Witcher characters, Cyberpunk was brought up as a better fit, which led to Lucy becoming the first crossover fighter in Guilty Gear history. This turned out to be an inspired choice. Lucy’s netrunner abilities and cyberpunk aesthetic mesh perfectly with Guilty Gear’s over-the-top anime style and technical complexity.
The Cyberpunk universe, being more niche and experimental compared to The Witcher’s mainstream appeal, likely felt like a safer testing ground for CD Projekt Red. If the crossover didn’t work out perfectly, it wouldn’t impact their flagship franchise.
What This Means for Future Crossovers
This story highlights the complex negotiations that happen behind the scenes of gaming crossovers. It’s not just about whether characters would work well together mechanically – there are brand considerations, marketing strategies, and long-term franchise planning to consider.
The fact that CD Projekt Red was willing to loan out Lucy but not Geralt suggests they view their different franchises very differently in terms of brand protection. The Witcher represents their core identity, while Cyberpunk might be seen as more experimental territory.
Broader Impact
For fighting game fans, this reveals how many potential crossovers probably never see the light of day due to similar corporate considerations. Every character that appears in a fighting game represents a complex negotiation between multiple companies, each with their own strategic concerns.
The Lucy collaboration, while born from a rejected proposal, demonstrates that sometimes the alternative path leads to equally compelling results. Her unique abilities and visual style bring something fresh to Guilty Gear Strive that might not have been possible with more traditional fantasy characters.
Looking Forward
With The Witcher 4 eventually launching and establishing the franchise’s new direction, future crossover opportunities might open up. Ciri, as the new protagonist, could become available for fighting game appearances once her new canonical status is established.
For now, though, we can appreciate that sometimes the stories behind the scenes are just as interesting as the games themselves. The tale of how Geralt almost joined Guilty Gear Strive, only to be replaced by a cyberpunk netrunner, perfectly captures the unpredictable nature of gaming industry collaborations.
While we might never see Geralt throwing hands with Sol Badguy, the Lucy crossover proves that great fighting game additions can come from unexpected places. Sometimes the backup plan turns out to be exactly what we needed.
Lucy from Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is set to release as part of Guilty Gear Strive’s Season 4, with more details expected to be revealed at upcoming gaming events.
Adrian Kovacs