Cyberpunk 2077 Has A Hype Problem

The Controversy Begins

With any game coming out that has amassed a huge amount of hype, any news is blown out of proportion, justifiably or not.

New details on cut content or news focused on behind the scenes controversies are ripe to be picked up on, and in between gameplay showcases, Cyberpunk was hit with several accusatory articles.

Some labeled the game transphobic for how the original Cyberpunk 2020 handled the process of transitioning, noting that this led to a decrease in “humanity”. It was further brought to audiences’ attention when a poster showed in screenshots featured a feminine-looking character with an obvious bulge, including the tagline “mix it up”.

After an early press event, the game was called racist towards Haitian Americans, coming from the reveal of the Voodoo Boys gang. One of main character V’s voice lines seemed to mock the way Voodoo Boy, Placide, spoke, by bringing attention to the pronunciation of “dey”.

Creator of the Cyberpunk IP, Mike Pondsmith, spoke out in defense of the controversies by stating that the world he created is not one that people should aspire towards. His vision for Night City is not one of a positive environment, but rather a terrible place that exploits every aspect of its citizens.