Decision-making and consequences in Cyberpunk 2077

Creator of the original “Cyberpunk 2020” tabletop game Mike Pondsmith recently shared his thoughts about the consequence system in Cyberpunk 2077 in interview for LastKnownMeal channel. Here’s what he had to say:

One of the binding philosophies of the game is that your actions have consequences. And that also goes back to the original sources in the tabletop game. In the tabletop game, there is no system for karma- good things, and so forth. But you can pretty much guess that if you blow away some guy in a gang, his gang’s going to remember, and they’re going to find you. That is realistic, that is the way things really go.

“Sometimes karma isn’t really meted out in a nice, neat “dark side, light side” way. Sometimes it comes and bites you in the butt in ways you never expected. We were kidding the other day in the office about that moment when you’re driving on the freeway, and somebody cuts you off, and you flip them off, and then you go into the bank, and there’s the guy you flipped off behind the counter! This sort of stuff happens!”

While we’re waiting for the game for just 5 years, Mike has been waiting for 30 years as he released the original Cyberpunk 2020 tabletop back in 1990. That’s nuts!

As far as the decision-making and consequence system is concerned, the song “Personal Responsibility” in first Cyberpunk 2077 trailer touches on this subject and was specifically picked for the trailer in order to capture the atmosphere and importance of the system. Plus, it’s really catchy so anytime you hear it, the CD Projekt Red’s new project comes to mind immediately.

Also, I'll just drop the trailer below for how freaaaaaking amazing it is!