The Witcher Season 4 release was shrouded in unending controversy up until its release day. The cause of this controversy could be found in the addition of Liam Hemsworth as Geralt after Henry Cavill walked away from the show and the role, reportedly over creative differences. Despite the immense backlash that the streamer received after the third season, it proceeded with Hemsworth and the last two seasons of the fantasy series.A month ahead of The Witcher Season 4's release, promotional materials were unveiled. The promotional videos were subject to certain backlash. Nevertheless, October 30 rolled around, and the controversial grand premiere of Season 4 featured Liam Hemsworth's first foray into Geralt's character.For all the pomp and circumstance that The Witcher Season 4 release received, the streamer dropped another spin-off from the series along with it, without any announcement or promotion.Keep reading to find out which spin-off was released without notice and what this might mean for the franchise.Netflix releases The Witcher spin-off, The Rats: A Witcher Tale, without any noticeThe Rats: A Witcher Tale was initially set to be a stand-alone limited series following the gang known as The Rats before they meet Ciri (or Falka, as they know her). However, according to reports, troubles during production led to it being shut down temporarily. Fans of the franchise assumed that, owing to the controversy around the original series, the spin-off might never see the light of day.The Rats: A Witcher Tale (Image via Netflix) Turns out, owing to the troubles in production, it was re-formatted as a feature-length special instead of a limited series. This 80-minute-long feature was released very quietly alongside The Witcher Season 4 and is only available to stream after all eight episodes of Season 4 are streamed in their entirety.The Rats: A Witcher Tale, despite being available after The Witcher Season 4, is actually set before they cross paths with Ciri, so right before the events of the season.It follows the creation of their group and how they've come together to survive on the streets. The central plot in the feature is a dangerous heist planned by The Rats targeting the biggest criminal in the kingdom, Dolph Lundgren. However, by the end of this heist, they've encountered the bounty hunter who is going to seal their fate at the end of The Witcher Season 4.Per showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich, The Rats: A Witcher Tale:"a story about what’s happening to the younger generation in this world, who are just trying to survive as the Continent rages with war."Apart from the context that this series provides for The Rats and their fate, as we witness in The Witcher Season 4, the way this spin-off was dropped without any notice or marketing doesn't bode well for the franchise. The surprise release of the feature might mean that the streamer is aiming towards the end of the franchise. This may be rooted in the extent of controversy and the fact that a majority of die-hard fans of the books and games no longer find the series a compelling watch.Keep reading Soap Central for more such interesting insights into your favorite shows!