Adam Badowski na MFKiG: Podróże po uniwersum Cyberpunk 2077 [PL/EN]

Thank you. Cyberpunk for us has a social dimension beyond technology. The pandemic, grotesque leaders, and cold war fears make the world resemble B-movies. Our game reflects that. We worked with Mike Pondsmith to create a retrofuturistic yet current world. The core is the individual's fight against the system. The game is mature, focusing on relationships and difficult themes like death, not spectacular action. The story is about personal change, not saving the world. Choices matter.

We gave up measuring against Witcher. The world is huge, with vertical and horizontal layers. It's first-person, so perception differs. The story is substantial. We'll have stats after release.

Yes, we handcrafted each element. Some mechanics repeat for learning. In Cyberpunk, the city's districts allowed easier differentiation. The city itself is a character, with layers from normal to dark.

We consciously built that. The city pressures the hero, offers a great win with marked cards. It's a movement with a hundred faces. The city's founder had a utopian vision, but reality made it decadent. Gangs form due to alienation. The city is both colorful and dark, like Warsaw for newcomers.

I think it's a city that could become a trap. Trends to civilize cities are good, but millions can be locked in. Social movements can lead to conflict. Historically, cities are against human physiology. The dualism of metropolises affects us deeply.

Similarly with technology, smartphones are for many the beginning of the cyberpunk path, making us so dependent we can't function without them. We check the weather and news on our phones instead of raising the blinds. The first cyber implants, like glasses, are already enhancements. In Cyberpunk 2077, we find many such enhancements. Humans like to make things harder for themselves, and the consequences can be dramatic. The negative impact of technology is seen in social media, profiling, and addictive elements. We all feel something is wrong and need to civilize it. But technology also gives hope for good use. The dystopian image is dark, but I'm inspired by Verhoeven's approach, which shows dangers in a perverse way. There is still room for a smile and a happy ending.

Yes, of course. The whole story of V is one that I hope ends well. At the end there is hope. The journey is about questioning whether our desires are our own or programmed by the world. That theme dominates the hero's journey. It's about the programming of individuals into social roles. We live in bubbles, easily accepting content without confrontation. The world of Cyberpunk is a caste world: the rich, the poor, and the middle class. The economy is controlled by a layer that holds technology. The nomads live outside the city but are still part of the system. The system is the symbol of the fight for identity. One of the heroines that caught my eye is G. Alvarez. I played four hours and regretted it ended.

Of course, Johnny Silverhand is great. From a creator's perspective, he's a difficult character, but I think we built him well. My favorite character, though, is Panam, the nomad. She's energetic, and we can help her develop her path. There's a lot of melancholy and family themes, like in The Witcher. I enjoy playing with her. During testing, I loved returning to the nomad quests. There will be many Easter eggs and references to Polish culture, like Chopin, pierogi, and Slavic squats. I invite everyone to explore the computers, data, and side dialogues where our writers hide valuable content.

Comics help us on many levels. They are narrative, showing the relationship between content and image, which is what we build our games on. The cyberpunk comics that inspire us are numerous: Akira, Ghost in the Shell, Judge Dredd, Hard Boiled, The Old Guard. My favorite is Tekkonkinkreet, which became the basis for a great neon anime. If you look at that anime and then at some of our districts, it's a direct quote. There are many more inspirations, from Bill Sienkiewicz to Simon Bisley, who died a year ago. I wish him a peaceful sleep in the fantastic worlds he created.

Yes, and although Asia has changed since the 80s, we consciously refer to those strong 80s accents. The districts are vibrant, with Buddhist temples and elements in the net. The style and color palette from comic panels were a stream of energy we used. I hope it will be felt. CD Projekt Red likes to romance with the comic world. Dark Horse had its comic, and Cyberpunk has its digital comic. We will continue to make new types of comics. It's a source of inspiration for our team's creativity.

Yes, we always said that. We create a world and want it to function, for players to live in it. Look at the cosplay, it's amazing. We don't want to stop. This is not just one game, it's a whole world, an ecosystem. We have the game, a series in perspective, comics, and countless stories in Night City. That's what defines us as a team: the desire to build whole worlds. It's a privilege to build a world from scratch with no limits. That's why we are CD Projekt Red. I want games to be a full-fledged medium on the level of comics and film, and I think we are very close.

Music is an element we are incredibly proud of. The game will bring new, never-before-heard tracks to pop culture. I hope we promote many new bands. Hours of music from jazz to heavy metal is a fantastic contribution. Besides radio music, there is illustrative music that builds emotional weight. Our composers did a wonderful job. Most people thought only synthwave fit cyberpunk, but we wanted to break that and we did. It's more difficult and surprising, but integral to the story. When you think cyberpunk, you might think of Blade Runner, but here there are many more musical colors. The artists approached it with heart. Our artists have positive arrogance: everyone expects one thing, so we do something different but prove it's what they wanted. We did that with showing Night City in daylight, and similarly with music. I think we succeeded, and it will be on the favorite lists of many millions of players.

I return to the search for identity and the question: is the first goal, to be the best thief in Night City, really what is important? The city offers everything, but at what price? If I follow those rules, the city will grind me down. But is that what I have to die for? That's the most important question. Johnny Silverhand helps with that, at the intersection of these two characters. I hope the answers appear. I keep my fingers crossed. The premiere is soon, so everything will become clear.