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With over 5 million views to date, the teaser for Cyberpunk 2077 has certainly made a splash with fans of sci-fi role-playing games. The stylish video didn’t show off any gameplay, but did provide viewers with a taste of the Cyberpunk universe.
To further elaborate on what makes Cyberpunk 2077 different from other futuristic sci-fi games, such as Deus Ex and Syndicate, CD Projekt RED has released a new video featuring Mike Pondsmith, the creator of the ’90s pen and paper game, Cyberpunk, and co-creator of Cyberpunk 2077.
In an earlier interview, Marcin Momot, Community Manager of CD Projekt RED, stated that Cyberpunk 2077 was inspired by the original Deus Ex and System Shock games. However, in the 4-minute video featuring Pondsmith walking along the rain-soaked streets of a metropolis at night, he explains that his world is inspired by the mysteries of city life at night and that his vision combines a dystopian setting with advanced technology and film noir. While this description may still remind some of Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Pondsmith explains that his central vision differs in a key way:
Therefore, don’t expect an exploration of the concept that improvements in technology cause a loss of humanity. Instead, Cyberpunk 2077 looks to show how humanity uses advances in technology to further personal selfish goals rather than benefit the world at large.
“Cyberpunk is about that interface between people and technology, but not in that transhumanist way where it’s all about the technology changing or improving them. It’s about how people use things… Cyberpunk isn’t about saving humanity, it’s about saving yourself.”
On numerous occasions in the past, Pondsmith had been approached to license Cyberpunk for a video game but he was hesitant to do so out of concern that this vision would be fundamentally altered in some way. He felt comfortable working with CD Projekt RED when he realized that they were huge fans of his game and they understood “why this world exists.”
The combination of Pondsmith’s heavy involvement and enthusiasm for the project and CD Projekt RED’s track record for creating mature gritty worlds on a digital platform certainly has potential. Be sure to watch the whole video to hear why Pondsmith thinks the completed game is going to be “a hell of a ride.”
Loved the teaser trailer? Want to learn more about its development? Click here to see the production materials and the 3D scans of the models used.
Cyberpunk 2077 is currently in development.
