Although CD Projekt Red released a “story trailer” for Cyberpunk 2077 at E3, fans don’t actually know much about the game’s story at the moment. It might be more accurate to look at the trailer as a setting trailer; it showed far more of Night City in general than it did of V and their personal story. Now, a story team writer from the studio has shared what the core themes of Cyberpunk 2077 will be: “Freedom and Identity.”
“Freedom and Identity” The Core Themes of Cyberpunk 2077
Speaking with the UK Official PlayStation Magazine, Stanisław Swięcicki, a story team writer for Cyberpunk 2077 described the game’s predominant themes. Although he didn’t give many specifics, it seems that cybernetic enhancement will be at the core of the story; it won’t just be an aesthetic touch to strengthen the setting. According to Swięcicki, the story will center around the conflict between replacing body parts with cybernetics and retaining/understanding what makes people “human”.
“For me, the most prominent thing is the motive of freedom and identity,” stated Swięcicki; “of deciding your own path. It’s a human need to seek an identity and some people gravitate towards the gangs, and though they look modified they’re still human underneath. This touches upon a universal feeling we all have; the need to belong to a group.”
Swięcicki’s comments about the story may reveal more about V and their story; his statements about “deciding your own path” could reflect that V’s story could largely be down to the player. While The Witcher III: Wild Hunt featured a single main narrative and many side-quests, it’s possible that Cyberpunk 2077 may have less of a centralized narrative. If, in keeping with giving players more choice, CD Projekt Red offered a highly divergent storyline (or storylines); that would be a major development indeed. For now, it’s unlikely that fans will hear any specifics until the game is closer to launch.