Cyberpunk 2077 is based on the Cyberpunk 2020 IP. As a result, many are expecting, the game will depict the themes of the source material and the cyberpunk genre in general, which explores things like inequity, technology, and the sexual revolution. That said, while the game looks poised to explore all of this and more, CD Projekt Red claims the game in itself is not a political statement.
The topic came up during a recent interview between Polish website Spider's Web and the game's Quest Designer Pawel Sasko. More specifically, when the website asked Sakso if the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement and the recent protests have led to any changes to the game, the quest designer clarified that it's far too late for changes to the game's story.
"The important point is that we already have a recorded game at this stage, actually for a long time," said Sasko. "This is the last stage in which we do not change anything in the story we are telling, add nothing, or remove anything. These events, as you noticed yourself, took place very recently."
Sasko continued:
"The second point is, for us, Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher are games that show our philosophy as a studio. The game we are working on is an entertainment medium to a large extent, but for us, it is also an art - a work that shows our vision. It is difficult for me to imagine the events that would have to happen for us to suddenly find that we are changing or moving something in order not to touch any specific elements. Anyway, I think you saw elements in the game that touch it, so you could find out for yourself. For me, the most important thing is that our game is not a political statement, a political thesis. For me and my team, Cyberpunk 2077 is a work of art and I always stick to it, I always say it to my designers. I don't feel like I'm producing something, I feel more like I'm painting a picture or making music, stories, movies. This is art for me, and art is the stories we tell the player, and this is the most important thing for us. As a studio, we are such an amalgam of different people who have different approaches to political, religious, spiritual, and internal life, also when it comes to sexual orientations or political sympathies. As a studio, we always try to cultivate openness and approach it in such a way that everyone can have a say and that each of these shades can be represented, as long as it is, of course, within the law and reason - so that each player can find here something for everyone and find answers to your own questions."
As you can see, Sasko hints that the game touches upon topics like racism, police brutality, and inequality, but none of this has been influenced by the recent BLM protests. That said, we do know two large expansions of the game are in the works, so perhaps there's a chance that what's going in America and around the world right now will have a greater impact on these bits of additive content.
Cyberpunk 2077 is in development for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PC, and Google Stadia. Barring any unexpected delay, it will release worldwide on November 19, 2020.
For more coverage on the open-world, first-person shooter RPG -- including recent news, rumors, and leaks -- click here or check out the relevant links below:
H/T, Wccftech.
Disclosure: ComicBook is owned by CBS Interactive, a division of ViacomCBS.
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Cyberpunk 2077 Developer Comments on BLM's Influence on the Game - ComicBook.com
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