Gaming doesn't need legitimising, says Keanu Reeves

BBC Newsbeat had a chat with the Hollywood superstar, Keanu Reeves, after his E3 2019 appearance. He was asked about the character he plays, what he shared with those around him about the project and his view on the industry. 

Reeves plays Johnny Silverhand in Cyberpunk 2077 and describes his character as a sort of guide with his own motives for helping the player. Whether he ultimately becomes your friend or foe though depends entirely on how your motives align with his. 

He then launches into a talk about the level of freedom the player has in the game, evident during character creation and even the choices they make. Reeves essentially marvels at the the players ability to chart their own unique path through the game. 

As for what he told the people around him concerning the game before E3? "I can't tell you." He seems really giddy as he says proudly, "But now I can!" He even adds, "I'm free! Now I can share it." 

The most important question of all is whether he thinks professionals in his industry working in video games legitimises it or if he even believes video games need legitimising. He answers, "Yeah, I don't think they need legitimising." The superstar explains how both Hollywood and video games share a form of symbiotic relationship, going back and forth in how one helps the other reach its target audience. 

There's a point where Reeves mixes up his comic books with video games, but his point gets through. He almost does a Marlon Brando impression, which would have been awesome. The fact he finds a way to mention the 1978 Superman movie in which Brando plays Jor-El proves just how much of a geek he really is. 

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