Cyberpunk 2077 is finally set to release on PS4, Xbox One, and PC on November 19, following a second delay back in June. CD Projekt Red is the studio behind this eagerly anticipated dystopian-set sci-fi RPG - the same studio that was also responsible for the success of the popular Witcher series.

While its release date might seem very close to the launch of the next-generation consoles, it has already been confirmed that Cyberpunk 2077 will also move onto PS5 and Xbox Series X. A Stadia release is expected later this year.

The sprawling open-world game is set in Night City, a corporation-controlled metropolis situated in the Free State of California. You'll be able to forge your own path in this iconic neon city via three distinct and branching lifepaths and claim various weapons and gadgets that are heavily tied in with the cyberpunk genre.

If you want to get a better idea of what it's all about, there are plenty of Cyberpunk 2077 trailers, Night City Wire streams, and even a hands-off demo from E3 2019 to explore. What's more, we've collected them all here, as well as the latest Cyberpunk 2077 news and announcements.

[Update: Cyberpunk 2077 is up for six awards at Gamescom 2020 and it's going to have free DLC. Read on to find out the latest on the game.]

Cyberpunk 2077: key facts

What is Cyberpunk 2077? A brand new IP from CD Projekt Red starring Keanu Reeves

A brand new IP from CD Projekt Red starring Keanu Reeves What's the Cyberpunk 2077 release date? November 19, 2020

November 19, 2020 What systems will Cyberpunk 2077 be released on? PS4, Xbox One, PS5, Xbox Series X, GeForce Now, Google Stadia and PC

PS4, Xbox One, PS5, Xbox Series X, GeForce Now, Google Stadia and PC Will it come to next-gen consoles too? Confirmed for Xbox Series X and PS5 - there will even be a "full-blown next-gen" version of the game after the consoles launch

Confirmed for Xbox Series X and PS5 - there will even be a "full-blown next-gen" version of the game after the consoles launch Is it not coming to Switch? Sorry, Nintendo fans – while the Witcher 3 was somehow ported to Switch, it seems unlikely the hardware could cope with what Cyberpunk is promising

What is Cyberpunk 2077?

(Image credit: CD Projekt Red)

Cyberpunk 2077 is a neon cyberpunk game that has The Witcher 3 developer CD Projekt Red moving from a gritty, high fantasy world to an equally gritty, science fiction world metropolis. It's based off the pen-and-paper RPG of the same name, but plays a hell of a lot like The Matrix game we've always wanted.

We caught our first peek at the game behind closed doors at E3 2018—you can check out what we saw in the 48-minute walkthrough video below in the trailers section—but we've seen plenty more since then.

Cyberpunk 2077 is a game that looks vastly different from its developer's The Witcher series, with towering neon skyscrapers, bionic enhancements and a focus on vertical movement rather than wide open plains. It's also all in first-person.

At E3 2019 we learned a lot more about the plot of the game, which features the one and only Keanu Reeves. Reeves plays a character named Johnny Silverhand who's embedded in a biochip that's placed in the main character's brain.

In order to unlock the secrets to the biochip, what basically becomes the main thread of the game, Silverhand will guide you to Alt Cunningham, the most legendary net runner of all-time. The only problem? She’s dead. But her consciousness lives on the web and you’ll need to do whatever it takes to track her down – including, but not limited to, befriending or eliminating leaders of the biggest gangs in Night City.

(Image credit: CD Projekt Red)

The Cyberpunk 2077 release date is November 19 2020. This release date has been confirmed after a second delay - initially scheduled to launch on April 16 2020, the game was later delayed until September and now until November.

The reason for the Cyberpunk 2077 delay to November isn't because the game isn't done. CD Projekt Red says it's finished, but more time to fine-tune the expansive game is necessary. It is, after all, a massive RPG.

An important development update pic.twitter.com/uFGrt9TqpiJune 18, 2020

Cyberpunk 2077 trailers

The latest Night City Wire stream on August 10 has provided us with two new Cyberpunk 2077 trailers, and you can check out both of them below.

The first introduces us to the three different lifepaths that are available which will give you access to three very different origin stories. Whichever you choose promises to impact progression routes, dialogue options and more.

Tools of destruction is the second trailer from the Night City Wire stream and, as the title might suggest, gives us a good look at some of the weapons that will be available to you during your time in Night City. Tech Weapons, Smart Weapons, and Cyberware are just some of the options showcased here.

This Cyberpunk 2077 trailer was shown during the Cyberpunk Night City Wire stream on June 25 and showed off the game's prologue. Check it out below.

This Cyberpunk 2077 trailer is a 15-minute deep dive into the game's lore, world, and gameplay. If you don't mind spoiling some of the visual treats in store – including what it's like to actually step into cyberspace – check out the video here.

E3 2019 gave us an incredibly slick trailer, with a look at some new characters, weapon-play – including Keanu Reeves, who will be playing the rock star Johnny Silverhand. Get your fix in the trailer below.

In March 2019, we got yet another video, this time of the development team gearing up for the E3 2019 showcase event. Those hoping for a 2019 release may want to start to brace themselves however – though the game remains without a release date, the suggestion of the video below is that development is still in full swing, and a release date may be some time away yet:

After a veritable truckload of hype, CD Projekt Red released 48 minutes of gameplay footage, based on the demo journalists saw at E3 2018.

In it, you'll see what gunplay looks like, character creation and backstory assignment, plus how you'll upgrade yourself via cybernetic enhancements. You'll meet some of the characters in Cyberpunk's seedy crime circuit and explore the city on foot and in vehicles. (Quick warning: the trailer contains nudity, violence and swearing.)

We were treated to a Cyberpunk 2077 trailer during E3 2018 which you can watch below:

Cyberpunk 2077 news and features

We've rounded up the all the biggest Cyberpunk 2077 news and rumors below for your perusal:

Gamescom 2020 nominations

Gamescom has gone digital this year but its awards are still happening and Cyberpunk 2077 is appearing in several categories even though it's not been released yet. The nominees have been selected by a jury comprised of international games journalists, YouTubers and other experts and winners will be announced on August 30.

Cyberpunk 2077 has been nominated in six total categories in which it's going head-to-head with other big titles like Assassin's Creed: Valhalla and Star Wars: Squadrons: Best Action Game, Best Xbox Game, Best PlayStation Game, Best PC Game, Best RPG and Most Original Game. Whether the game will have any kind of bigger presence at Gamescom is currently unknown.

Free DLC

CD Projekt Red had already confirmed that Cyberpunk 2077 would have “no less DLC than The Witcher 3 had” but now we know that, also like The Witcher 3, some of that DLC will be free.

This information came from the studio's reply to a fan tweet. It's likely that, if CD Projekt is going down the same path as The Witcher 3 when it comes to DLC, there will be some paid and some free offerings but fans will no doubt be pleased to see this balance.

You'll have three distinctive lifepaths to choose from

When you jump into the world of Cyberpunk 2077 you'll need to choose the origin story for your character. The choice is between Street Kid, Nomad, and Corpo and whichever you choose will play a part in how certain things unfold within the game. Street Kids are born within Night City and will be savvier in certain situations than, say, their Nomad counterparts who have been raised in the Badlands beyond the city's borders.

In contrast, if you choose Corpo, you'll feel more at home in a boardroom as a member of the Arasaka Corporation. You obviously have the smarts to climb high in a megacorporation but can you handle yourself out on the streets?

Each lifepath will have a distinct impact on progression routes, dialogue options, and various other opportunities throughout the game.

There are plenty of weapon types to suit any playstyle

There are a huge number of weapons to choose from in Cyberpunk 2077. Melee and CyberWare weapon types range from Thermal Katanas to Mantis Blades but if you prefer to stick with firepower, there are guns aplenty in Night City. These are broken down into various classes such as Tech, Power, and Smart weapons.

Tech weapons have incredible power and can be used to break through walls or other barricades, while Power weapons will allow you to bounce bullets off surfaces to reach targets that seem impossible to hit. Lastly, Smart weapon projectiles will be able to track targets, even if they're on the move.

Each weapon type will have its own customisation options so you'll be able to add attachments such as scopes or silencers or add mods to alter things like fire rate or accuracy. There will be different rarities to go for too, and if you manage to get your hands on a legendary weapon, you'll be rewarded with far more firepower than a lesser version.

Expect interactive dialogue scenes

Cyberpunk 2077 is going for interactivity and immersion, even in its dialogue scenes. Instead of being forced to watch your avatar stand still from one angle during dialogue scenes, pressing nothing but a single button to progress, Cyberpunk 2077 will allow you to look around and observe your surroundings.

This information comes from Official PlayStation Magazine (via PlayStationLifestyle) where it's explained that V has to be alert and aware of what's going on around them. By giving players the chance to inspect the body language of NPCs, the game gives them a better chance of spying danger ahead.

Watch out for fake beta invites

CD Projekt Red has confirmed that there isn't a beta for Cyberpunk 2077 after reports of fake invites being sent to players. According to the developer, emails have been sent out to fans and content creators inviting them to take part in a beta but warns that these are fake and fans shouldn't hand over any information.

1/2 If you recently received an email claiming to be granting you beta access to Cyberpunk 2077, it's not from us. Unfortunately, there have been more of these being sent out over the past few weeks. When we contact you via email, it'll always come from @ cdprojektred com addressJuly 30, 2020

You can beat the game without finishing the main quest

We already knew that Cyberpunk 2077 would be expansive with multiple endings after it was confirmed in an interview conducted by YouTuber Yong Yea, but apparently it will be possible to complete Cyberpunk 2077 without getting to the end of its main plot line.

In an interview with Spider's Web,quest designer Pawel Sasko explains that the game's structure was built based on learnings from The Witcher 3 which had "the main stem of history and side threads departing from it, and this was our main structure, which we call the ear.”

The structure of Cyberpunk 2077, however, is what Sasko calls a "wheat spike, which serves as its center, the main storyline with different subplots surrounding it, which can be triggered in various ways.”

“Those subplots allow us to do something that we have never done before – they change the main plot of the game and they are doing that in such a way that you may not even finish the main plot, but still finish the game and get a completely different epilogue than the player with a different lifepath who made different choices, met different characters and formed relationships with them.”

Sasko also explains that the game utilises something of a butterfly effect, with things like the player's chosen origin story impacting V's relationships with other characters and overall path through the game.

Cyberpunk 2077 won’t be available on Xbox Game Pass at launch

Cyberpunk 2077 will be playable on a wide range of platforms when it launches in November, but you won’t find it on Microsoft’s subscription service Xbox Game Pass.

The news was confirmed by CD Projekt Red’s Lead PR Manager, Radek Grabowski, on Twitter.

When VentureBeat journalist Jeff Grubb used Cyberpunk 2077 as an example of the kind of blockbuster third-party release that Microsoft might look to have on Game Pass, Grabowski headed off any further speculation by responding “You’ll have to pick another example, Jeff. No Game Pass plans for Cyberpunk 2077.”

You have to pick another example, Jeff. No Game Pass plans for Cyberpunk 2077.July 10, 2020

Wall-running has been dropped

CD Projekt Red has confirmed that wall-running won't be an option in Cyberpunk 2077.

Wall-running was first glimpsed as a means of traversal in Cyberpunk 2077 all the way back in 2018 when the game still in its relatively early stages but level designer Max Pears has said that it's since been removed for "design reasons".

What those design reasons are hasn't been explained but Pears has emphasised that "There's still going to be a lot of flexibility in how you move, that's for sure."

Some digital gifts to come with the game

Every copy of Cyberpunk 2077 the game will come with its own bundle of digital content including the original score, an art booklet, a Cyberpunk 2020 sourcebook, some wallpapers for your device and a newly revealed digital comic called Cyberpunk 2077: Your Voice.

The bundle was revealed by the official Cyberpunk 2077 Twitter account, though there aren't any further details on what story the comic will tell. It doesn't appear to be connected to the Cyberpunk 2077 comic series announced recently called Trauma Team.

(Image credit: CD Projekt Red)

Cyberpunk 2077 anime

A Cyberpunk 2077 anime is coming to Netflix in 2022. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners will be a 10-episode story about a street kid living in Night City who becomes an edgerunner, a mercenary outlaw also known as a cyberpunk.

BrainDance

Cyberpunk 2077 will take a leaf from Batman Arkham Knight's book, with its detective-esque BrainDance feature.

Revealed during the Cyberpunk 2077 Night City Wire stream, BrainDance is a immersive, almost VR-like, experience that your character can partake in. The feature provides a "keyhole into the lives of Night City residents", allowing you to watch the experiences of others as though watching a movie - with the ability to rewind, fast-forward and even analyze the scenes.

In doing so, you can play detective, gathering clues and providing a better understanding of the lives of the city's residents. CD Projekt Red referred to it as a "storytelling tool".

(Image credit: CD Projekt Red)

Xbox One controller easter egg

The Cyberpunk 2077 Xbox One controller is apparently hiding a fun easter egg for fans. As reported by Reddit user UglyDucklingTaken, the back of the controller features a QR Code which, when scanned, takes players to an unlisted video of a track from the game's soundtrack: "The Ballad of Buck Ravers" by in-game band SAMURAI.

This comes after those who purchased the special edition Cyberpunk 2077 Xbox One X console discovered a hidden message on its back that can only be discovered using UV light. The message was found to read (via VG247) "Many languages, one message" followed by Thank You in multiple languages.

Coming to Stadia later

Cyberpunk 2077 will reportedly not be available on Stadia when it launches on Xbox One, PS4 and PC. This was revealed in an unrelated press release (via ArsTechnica) which states that the Google Stadia version is only "set to launch in the same year" as the console and PC version of the game.

This was, of course, before the game's release date on console and PC was moved to November 19 so it's unclear whether this release date discrepancy remains the same as there still seems to be no solid date attached to the Stadia version. At the very least, if it's due in the same year we know it'll launch before December 31 2020.

No Less DLC than The Witcher 3

Cyberpunk 2077 hasn't even been released yet but naturally CD Projekt Red is already thinking ahead to post-launch content. In an investor Q&A (via VGC) CD Projekt president Adam Kiciński said that Cyberpunk 2077 will have “no less DLC than The Witcher 3 had.”

For those unfamiliar with The Witcher 3's DLC, the game had a fair amount with two full story expansions as well as a smattering of free DLC which included things like quests, equipment and clothing.

M for Mature

It looks like Cyberpunk 2077 will have a Mature rating. Alongside its rating the ESRB has given some information on what aspects of the game have led to that rating, citing "blood and gore, intense violence, nudity, strong language, strong sexual content and use of drugs and alcohol."

Cyberpunk coming to PS5 and Xbox Series X - with full blown, next-gen version coming at a later date

Cyberpunk 2077 will officially release on PS5 and Xbox Series X. The game will also be backwards compatible on both consoles meaning your PS4 or Xbox One version of the game will work on their respective successor from day one.

In addition, CD Projekt Red confirmed on Twitter that a "later upgrade to Cyberpunk 2077, taking full advantage of the next-gen hardware, will be available for free" on both next-gen consoles.

We are happy to confirm that Cyberpunk 2077 will be backwards compatible with both next-gen consoles! Your PS4 copy of the game will work on PS5 on launch day. Anyone who buys the game on Xbox One will be able to play their copy on Xbox Series X when the console launches too!June 19, 2020

Grimes tells all in apparent gameplay leak

So, we knew that the pop star Grimes was going to feature on the soundtrack, but she'll also be voicing a character within the game – a character we now know a decent bit about.

Grimes appeared on a live stream in late February, and spoke about her involvement in Cyberpunk 2077 as the singer / performer Lizzy Wizzy, possibly revealing more than she was meant to, with mention of how her in-game character appears and the rather sci-fi situation she finds herself in. Spoilers below, obviously.

The YouTube video was quickly pulled, but this thread on Reddit features a "summary" of what was mentioned (meaning this may not be perfectly verbatim):

"I did my voice acting for Lizzy Wizzy, that game is going to be fucking good. I mean I haven’t played it, but I saw someone play an hour of the game. The game was fantastic, and I play a pop star who committed suicide on stage, and they had to quickly come and preform emergency surgery and replace her whole body with cybernetics while she was dead for an hour and then she finished the show as a cyborg. One of the greatest pieces of performance art ever made."

(Image credit: JC Olivera / Stringer)

Nvidia GeForce Now support

Nvidia has announced that it will support Cyberpunk 2077 on its GeForce Now streaming platform when the game launches in November 2020. This is good news for those who can't stretch for a brand new expensive gaming PC but would like to enjoy the game's promised ray-traced visuals as they'll be able to play it with RTX On.

You'll have to buy Cyberpunk 2077 on Steam before playing it on GeForce Now but this is a big win for Nvidia after losing Activision Blizzard's games.

🌗 Next stop: Night City. Cyberpunk 2077 is coming to GeForce NOW at launch.More info → https://t.co/DuK53ktkrh pic.twitter.com/hjNVsom58fFebruary 19, 2020

VR not happening

It seems that a virtual reality element was considered by CD Projekt Red for Cyberpunk 2077 but was ultimately found to not be viable. In an interview with OnMSFT, producer John Mamais said that VR is "very experimental and niche" and therefore just wasn't a great fit for the game. “We tried," he explained, "We were thinking about VR but, yeah, we’re not doing anything with VR.”

Mamais wasn't particularly forthcoming on the topic of a port for Nintendo Switch, either, saying it's unlikely but that similar things had been though of The Witcher 3.

“I don’t know if Cyberpunk 2077 would work on the Nintendo Switch. It might be too heavy for it. But then, we did put Witcher 3 on it and we thought that would be too heavy too, but somehow we pulled it off.”

Big names on the soundtrack

CD Projekt Red used The Game Awards to give players a better idea of the music that will feature in Cyberpunk 2077 and set the tone for exploring Night City. A behind-the-scenes segment confirmed that artists including Run the Jewels, Refused, Grimes, A$AP Rocky, Gazelle Twin, Ilan Rubin, Richard Devine, Nina Kravitz, Rat Boy, and Tina Guo will appear and there are more to be confirmed. You can watch the segment for yourself below:

So, what does Night City sound like?@runjewels @Refused @Grimezsz @asvpxrocky @gazelletwin @IlanRubin @RichardDevine @NinaKraviz @DeadlyHunta @RATBOY @Tinaguo#TheGameAwards #Cyberpunk2077 pic.twitter.com/f5ayGtVgTX13 December 2019

Reddit Q&A reveals more details

More has been revealed about the depth of Cyberpunk 2077 in a recent Reddit Q&A in which a user has recounted information from their attendance at a Q&A day with CD Projekt Red in Poland.

According to the poster, the game's day and night cycle will have an impact on quests; at certain times of day, for example, a location may be more or less guarded which could impact your likelihood of success. Weather, though, won't have an impact quite so severe although in-game characters will react to it.

The game's crime system has been revealed as being similarly dynamic— so police won't jump on you for a small crime like, say, assault on a particular individual. But they will "absolutely try to fry your ass" for more extreme things like causing harm to large groups of people with a gun or vehicle.

Quests in the game will be wide-ranging, branching and evolving, even impacting one another. And the game won't necessarily end with the completion of the main story; you can opt to keep playing. Replayability is said to be higher with this game than The Witcher 3.

As far as customization goes, the developer has acknowledged that players are interested in car customization but has asked for more patience before saying anything with regards to any plans, while, interestingly, there won't be an option to buy a new apartment. Instead V's apartment will evolve and change depending on the paths that players take when playing the game and it'll feature options within it for customization and expression though what they are has not been confirmed.

(Image credit: CD Projekt RED)

Photo mode

Let's face it, we all want to take pictures of Night City and after saying "we are planning to have it", CD Projekt Red has done some teasing on Twitter.

What about multiplayer?

After repeatedly stating that multiplayer elements were in R&D but saying nothing more, CD Projekt Red has confirmed on Twitter that it's definitely in the works.

So far, the plan appears to be to release the game in November as a single-player experience and then follow this up with various single DLCs that will be free to download and play, after which players will begin to be invited for "some multiplayer action." Multiplayer is, then, slightly down the road but it is coming.

1/2 Until now, the only thing we said about multi was that it was in R&D. As we’re getting closer to launching ‘single player’ Cyberpunk 2077 in Apr. 2020, we’d like to confirm that multiplayer's in the works! If you feel like lending us your skills apply: https://t.co/QQV6qsuvhk pic.twitter.com/GHbiS5N3DTSeptember 4, 2019

GTA-style radio

You can listen to some music GTA-style while cruising about in your vehicle.

(Image credit: CD Projekt RED)

Hardcore mode that says goodbye to UI

In an interview with Wccftech, CD Projekt Red’s Alvin Liu discussed hardcore mode, revealing that it will get rid of the game’s UI to provide a “real challenge” for players. That means there’ll be no markers or indicators telling you where things are or what level of enemy you’re going up against. It’s real immersion in Night City and the desert beyond with the potential for real frustration.

Of course, it’s not just the hardcore players that are being catered to in Cyberpunk 2077; Liu revealed that there will also be modes for those who are less experienced with first person games and shooters and wish to enjoy a more laidback experience.

“If you want to play more casually for the story and maybe you’re not experienced with shooters, which was a real big concern for us. We want to tell a story and maybe you’re a big fan of The Witcher and you’re not comfortable playing a shooter, we have settings available for that.”

Liu explains that as well as settings for less experienced players, there will also be weapons. The smart gun, for example, will help players to aim. Though it comes at the cost of the smart gun being a weaker and slower weapon. It will, however, be a good start for those looking to get to grips with the aiming system.

For those unfamiliar with first person games, there’s also going to be a Field of View slider. Making more of the game world visible through the eyes of the avatar should alleviate that sense of tunnel vision that comes from trading third person view for first person and the potential for nausea this can cause some players.

Environmental hazards

In an interview with Wccftech, UI director Alan Liu revealed Cyberpunk 2077 will feature dynamic weather such as acid rain and other environmental hazards.

(Image credit: CD Projekt Red)

Settings available for those uncomfortable with FPS

The game includes a number of difficulty levels for those who may struggle to adjust to playing an RPG in the style of an FPS.

Cyberpunk 2077 will look just as good on console as PC

In an interview with Wccftech, UI director Alan Liu was asked about the challenges of optimizing Cyberpunk 2077 for low-end hardware.

"Actually no, we have a very custom engine, the RED Engine," Liu responded. "And actually, we’re targeting consoles as first-class platforms and it looks amazing there. So obviously, if you spent, you know, $2,000 building your PC rig, it’s going to look better on that. But the graphics are quite amazing for what you’re going to get from Cyberpunk 2077 on consoles and low-end PCs."

Could we see a movie adaptation in the future?

In an interview with VGC at E3 2019, Pondsmith admitted that Keanu Reeves' involvement in the game has made the possibility of a Cyberpunk movie adaption much more likely.

"I can’t really say anything on that," Pondsmith told VGC in response to whether he is optioning the Cyberpunk movie rights. "But with Keanu Reeves being tied up in things, it’s become much more of a possibility."

"At this point we are teaching people about this new kind of cyberpunk. My favorite film is Blade Runner, but I recognise inherently that it’s a cerebral film and 2049 was even more cerebral. A cerebral film is not necessarily going to allow other people to enter that space and understand it, but at the same time you don’t want to do it totally action."

Keanu Reeves' band gets its first single

If the appearance of Keanu Reeves in Cyberpunk 2077 as a rock star wasn't enough, punk band Refused are creating the music for his in-game band (named Samurai). And if that wasn't enough, Samurai have released their first single, Chippin' In – presumably something to do with microchips – so you can start getting a sense of Night City's soundscapes already.

There will be romance—but not with Keanu Reeves

Fans of The Witcher 3's romantic sub-plots will be happy to hear that CD Projekt is bringing something similar to Cyberpunk 2077. In an interview with GamesRadar, the game's Quest Designer, Mateusz Tomaskiewicz, confirmed that players will be able to have relationships with different "entities", all of whom will have their own stories, goals and ideas for you to engage with.

He stopped short of confirming just how many romance threads players will have the option to pursue but we do know that Keanu Reeves is not a character you'll be able to romance during Cyberpunk 2077 (via PCGamer).

(Image credit: CD Projekt Red)

There will be no morality system

Players won't be constrained by any kind of morality system in Cyberpunk 2077 it has been confirmed by Mateusz Tomaskiewicz in an interview with GamingBolt. Given the complex nature of the decisions players made in The Witcher 3, this decision to favor the grey probably won't come as much of a surprise. This means that if you want to play through the entire game without killing anyone you absolutely can. Or if you want to be the next Angel of Death you can do that too. You just have to invest in the right in-game skills to do so.

There's more than Night City

From what we've seen so far, the setting of Night City in Cyberpunk 2077 looks like a mighty impressive, expansive and very neon place to explore. But it won't be the only location in the game to explore.

In an interview with VG247, the Lead Quest Designer, Pawel Sasko, revealed that players will be able to go beyond the walls of the metropolis and explore an area known as the "Badlands". Largely desolate and populated by Nomads, this area will have its own quests. You can even start the game as a Nomad and begin your story outside of the city.

(Image credit: CD Projekt Red)

New Cyberpunk 2077 gameplay shown at E3 2019, but not playable

At E3 2019 we got the chance to see Cyberpunk 2077 at a behind-closed doors demo centered around Pacifica – the southern-most region of Night City – and Keanu Reeves' character, Johnny Silverhand. The weirdest part? Keanu may in fact be the key to immortality. Yes, you read that correctly.

Inside Pacifica, two gangs – The Animals and The Voodoo Boys – are fighting for supremacy. In order to meet Bridgitte, the head of the Voodoo Boys, you'll have to first deal with her lieutenant Placide, who wants you to infiltrate The Animals' hideout. Your goal, at least you're told, is to find a high-tech van that's monitoring all the network traffic in Pacifica.

To get to this van, you'll have to make your way past The Animals' crew. The reason they're called The Animals, it turns out, is because they take a drug that enhances their muscle mass. To get through them you'll either need to fight your way through – a risky proposition – or sneak your way into the hideout.

Customization: perks, skills and attributes

You’ll customize your character’s look; you’ll customize their backstory; you’ll customize their base skills and you’ll give them perks that make them who they are. If you want a ninja samurai who came from the streets and is skilled in firearms and hand-to-hand combat, you can make that. If you want a net runner super hacker that can take over turrets and jack into enemies, you can make that, too.

In an interview with Metro, senior concept artist Marthe Jonkers clarified that players would also be able to customize their characters's gender expression in a much more fluid way than traditional RPGs – with two masculine / feminine body types and voices you can mix and match as you please.

Jonkers said that "you don’t choose your gender anymore. You don’t choose, ‘I want to be a female or male character’ you now choose a body type. Because we want you to feel free to create any character you want."

The choices are vast, and while they're not completely limitless, CD Projekt Red doesn’t want to confine you to a single play style or set path.

The reasoning behind that, it seems, is to better mirror the game’s source material – a 30-year-old tabletop role playing game called Cyberpunk (however, there was also a later edition called Cyberpunk 2020).

Behind all of the hacking and gunplay lies a fairly complex RPG – the perks screen we saw during our demo had more than 20 perks to choose from and level up. These perks impact how your character plays, but can also impact what choices you have in conversations with the world’s NPCs.

Image Credit: CD Projekt Red

CD Projekt Red is working on two AAA titles – both to be released by 2021

CD Projekt Red has confirmed it still plans to release two AAA titles by 2021. While we know one of these titles will definitely be Cyberpunk 2077, we're still in the dark about what the second title could be.

This release window was reaffirmed on the official CD Projekt Red forums, with moderator Donata Popławska confirming the studio is sticking to its original roadmap.

"As far as the strategy of the CD Projekt Capital Group for 2016-2021 is concerned, its plans to release the second AAA game by 2021 remain unchanged," the moderator wrote (translated via Resetera user Antiax).

However, Popławska did not expand on what the second AAA title to be released in this time frame could be.

"We are currently focusing on the production and promotion of Cyberpunk, so we do not want to comment on further projects," they continued.

E3 2018 confirmed features

We got to spend some time watching a demo of Cyberpunk 2077 during E3 and we learned some interesting things about the game.

It's a first person RPG set in a huge open world known as Night City – a metropolis split into six districts, each offering a different environment to explore. During the demo we only saw a small part of one of them.

Players can create their own character called V and embark on their journey to crawl up from the criminal underbelly. This is a dark game and though The Witcher series is mature, this takes it to a new level.

As you'd expect, the game lets you augment your body using various bits of tech – illegal or otherwise – and you can use drugs to enhance your combat, or a kind of digital brain-hack called 'Braindance'. We know weapons are wide ranging and seriously creative, with smart guns and bullets as well as terrifying Mantis Blades for melee.

There are no loading screens in Cyberpunk 2077 and the story and side quests are branching and numerous, and your choices genuinely impact the outcome. You can read more about how impressed were were by what we saw.

Image Credit: CD Projekt Red

It will be on Steam

Good news Steam fans: Cyberpunk 2077 will definitely be coming to the platform. At the Pareto Securities Gaming Seminar (via PCGamesN) the studio’s CEO Adam Kiciński gave a presentation in which he confirmed that the game would not be exclusive to GOG. There's been a lot of furore over the Metro Exodus being 'removed' from Steam and onto the Epic Games Store, but it looks like CD Projekt Red is steering clear of that minefield.

It’s going to be bigger than The Witcher 3

It would have been a pretty safe guess to say that Cyberpunk 2077 is going to be a big game, but in an interview with MCV in 2015 visual effects artist Jose Teixeira said it’s going to be “far, far bigger” than anything the studio has ever done.

In fact, he said that The Witcher 3 was being treated as a learning experience and that they could do better. To do better, the studio has doubled in size with studio head Adam Badowski saying that after The Witcher 3, Cyberpunk 2077 needs to be “even better, even bigger, even more revolutionary” than what had originally been planned.

(Image credit: CD Projekt Red)

There will be online

As well as multiplayer, CD Projekt's CEO has confirmed that there will also be online elements to the game. In an interview with Polish tech site Strefa Inwestorow Kiciński stated that “Online is necessary, or very recommended if you wish to achieve a long-term success. At some point, we have mentioned that there will be a certain online element related to Cyberpunk.”

Whether or not the online elements will feed into the multiplayer is unclear.

There won't be microtransactions

CD Projekt Red tweeted to quell fears over microtransactions in online components, stating that Cyberpunk 2077 will be "nothing less than" the Witcher 3, adding that players will "get what [they] pay for" with "no hidden catch."

It appears that while many studios are feeling the need to move to a service model to ensure their titles make money, CD Projekt is staying committed to the story-driven single player experience with Cyberpunk 2077, one which served them very well with The Witcher.

Pre-Order Cyberpunk 2077

Read everything you can and decided you like what you see? You can have a look at the latest pre-order prices for Cyberpunk 2077 below: