The Witcher 3 Mod Project Recasts Voice Actor Following 'Gross Misconduct'

The WAR Project, an ambitious mod for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt aiming to restore a cut plague-themed questline, is currently recasting the role of Temerian commander Vernon Roche. The decision follows what developers described as "a severe incident of gross misconduct" involving the actor initially chosen for the part. The individual is no longer associated with the project, though the development team stated they do not anticipate this change will significantly impact the mod's current schedule.

The WAR Project utilizes datamined remnants of the original quest content as a foundation, but modders are also creating new material to flesh out the experience. This includes extensive voice acting for characters who appear in the restored quests, as the original cast members are not involved. The team had previously held auditions to find actors for key roles such as Geralt, Ves, and Roche, with a voice actor known by the handle Grlt initially selected to portray Roche.

In an announcement posted to the mod's Discord server on August 11th, developer Ferroxius confirmed Grlt's removal from the project due to the alleged misconduct. Details regarding the incident remain confidential to protect those affected. Consequently, The WAR Project has reopened auditions for the significant role of Vernon Roche, with a one-week window for submissions. Actors who had previously auditioned and were satisfied with their submissions do not need to re-audition. The development team emphasized their commitment to fostering an open and friendly community environment and stated they have no tolerance for inappropriate behavior that makes members feel uncomfortable, encouraging users to report any such incidents.

Given Roche's central role in the resurrected questline, the recasting could be a concern for the mod's projected 2027 release. However, as Grlt's casting was only announced on July 7th, it is possible that little to no voice recording had been completed. The mod currently has a demo available, and the team hopes to continue development without further incident.