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Cyberpunk 2077 Lead Quest Designer Says No Changes Based on George Floyd Aftermath; Game is “Not a Political Statement, [or] a Political Thesis”

The Fartist

Gold Member
It's never too soon for a joke.

OT:

Wth have the protests to do with Cyberpunk?
tenor.gif
 

Grinchy

Banned
This makes no sense. Why would they add a George Floyd mission or something.
I'd assume there are people out there who think that the police from the game have to be removed, or have to be always depicted as the bad guys, ect. If your in-game player has a friendly encounter with a police officer in the game, then that's "tone deaf" or some stupid shit, because police officers are all racist black-killers and need to be vilified.

I noticed in the recent gameplay footage they released, you and another person are subdued by some kind of officers or agents on the ground. The most hyper sensitive will see that as a reminder of their hero George Floyd and could demand that it all be re-worked so as not to "offend anyone."

So even if things have nothing to do with any of these ridiculous current events, the twitter mobs will find a way to manufacture outrage that ties to it anyway, and thank god this person from CDPR is saying nothing is getting changed just because those dumb tweets are coming in hot.
 
I'd assume there are people out there who think that the police from the game have to be removed, or have to be always depicted as the bad guys, ect. If your in-game player has a friendly encounter with a police officer in the game, then that's "tone deaf" or some stupid shit, because police officers are all racist black-killers and need to be vilified.

I noticed in the recent gameplay footage they released, you and another person are subdued by some kind of officers or agents on the ground. The most hyper sensitive will see that as a reminder of their hero George Floyd and could demand that it all be re-worked so as not to "offend anyone."

So even if things have nothing to do with any of these ridiculous current events, the twitter mobs will find a way to manufacture outrage that ties to it anyway, and thank god this person from CDPR is saying nothing is getting changed just because those dumb tweets are coming in hot.
Not all mobs are the same though. If you give them attention, that would be the only reason they will have staying power. Some are inevitable. Like the removable of confederate flags and statues. Then there’s things like PAW Patrol. There is no juice to it. Ignore it, and its forgotten.
 
What the morons at reeee dont understand is that its a politically charged game, but not our politics. It doesnt have anything to do with our own politics (which is a sad fucking shitshow anyway). But ofcoufse the game itself has many political standpoints which is logical.

The problem is that the term political has been taken to encompass almost all of reality, the point at which it would become meaningless.

I won't spend 60 bucks to be lectured upon by a studio, especially when, as a medium, videogames are probably one of the worst places to entertain a serious in-depth philosophical discussion.

The game can depict scenarios that raise questions and let the player make up their own mind, which is what TW3 seems to have managed to do so well and been rewarded for it sales wise.

Usually people who defend games should be political do so as long as the developer sides with their political view. I hope games CAN be political if the developer wants to go that way, but saying they SHOULD, in my opinion, is to limit their creative freedom. It's a good thing CD Projekt are making the game they want to make.

Exactly.
My experience has been that, often, people who claim all games are political, but never substantiate their claim, or people who claim games should be political, have a very specific brand of politics in mind: their own.

yada yada yada what is it with CD Red and catering to angry gamer culture?

Oh, I see now.
CDPR standing by the original plot and quests and recorded VA and not changing a thing to accommodate recent real-world events is now being described as "catering to angry gamer culture".

Just so you know, creative writing doesn't change reality.

I've saved the best posts for last:

A not political Cyberpunk story? Worst thing I've heard about this gamd

Do they even understand their genre at all?

Of course they don't. Mike Pondsmith is consulting, but obviously not on lore or worldbuilding. No, he is a fashion consultant, specializing in cyber-underwear.

If only CDPR would have requested your services, this game might have stood a chance.

I take Pawel Sasko's statement to mean the game's message won't be along the lines of an overt opinionated thesis or statement such as "Capitalism is evil, Socialism smells like rosewater" or "You should riot till corporations come crashing down". I think he uses "political", "statement" and "thesis" in that context.

That doesn't prevent the game from being political in the broader sense, that is, that it depicts a fictional dystopian scenario where certain political ideologies play out and you get to draw your own conclusions about them.


Cyberpunk has always been a political statement, strictly critical of capitalism, corporatism, and corruption of power

It would be the pinnacle of cynicism for CD Projket Red to criticize real-life capitalism. The Polish studio was born out of the economic and cultural devastation inflicted by 52 years of tyrannical communist rule. The company now stands as a shinning example, the poster child for the immense and unsurpassable virtues of capitalism, as it exemplifies the triumph of talent, persistence and hard work, the absolute superiority of freedom and individualism over brute collectivism.

Just imagine. CDPR's founders would probably be working at a cheese factory, had despotic communism not been kicked out and, thank goodness, replaced by a free market economy. We certainly wouldn't have the Witcher franchise nor Cyberpunk 2077 were it not for capitalism.

Equally important, the studio is a public company (source). CD Projekt is listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange, where it's enjoyed constant growth over the years. Currently, its market cap sits at €8.01 billion (source). Marcin Iwisnki, co-founder and current co-CEO, is now a billionaire (source). That's billionaire, with a B.

It simply doesn't get any more capitalist than that.

"For me, the most important thing is that our game is a closed work and it is not a political statement, a political thesis.”

Fantastic.
I would not be looking forward to being preached upon.

That is a political statement. Criticising wealth inequality

Provided it's the product of voluntary interactions and thus not of violations of rights, wealth inequality is fair and moral. Especially because the system that generates the most inequality also happens to be the system that's most effective at eradicating poverty and promoting overall prosperity: capitalism.

and capitalism and corruption is completely a political statement. Short of addressing that major political parties are guilty of fostering all of that

What a silly silly response.

First off, Cyberpunk is set in an alternate reality. Secondly, corruption is a direct by-product of statism and state regulation. Thirdly, you don't get to interpret silence or omission at your discretion, just because it's convenient to you. You can't read minds and discern intentions without providing evidence for your preferred explanations.

CDPR stands as a great corporation, a genuine triumph of freedom and free enterprise, a triumph of resolute will and creative spirit, a triumph of capitalism. Without capitalism, CDPR wouldn't exist, the Witcher games wouldn't exist and Cyberpunk 2077 would be a mirage destined never to leave an obscure American writer's imagination.

Long live capitalism.
 
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Grinchy

Banned
Not all mobs are the same though. If you give them attention, that would be the only reason they will have staying power. Some are inevitable. Like the removable of confederate flags and statues. Then there’s things like PAW Patrol. There is no juice to it. Ignore it, and its forgotten.
Yeah, it's a shame more companies don't have that philosophy. The vast majority seem to cave into the demands instead.

Everyone's so mortified by just the sheer possibility that the mob will figure out the sponsors or any other company affiliated and attack them for a while to get them to drop support for the original "offender."

So you end up with Aunt Jemima going away instead of the company saying, "You guys are idiots. Don't buy our shit if you don't want to." They're too afraid of the mob forcing grocery stores to drop the parent company.
 

OutRun88

Member
Very well thought out answers from the developer, and I appreciate them leaving their artistic vision as is.

Entertainment is my way to temporarily cast my minds spotlight on something else besides what is going on in the world. It’s a bit of a nuisance when the two merge.
 

kraspkibble

Permabanned.
Good. No reason why it should be changed.

Couldn't care less just bring back third person mode. 🙏
what do you mean bring back? it was never there except for cutscenes and on vehicles.

1st person will work better. if they do a 3rd person mode then cool but not gonna wait for it.
 
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Kamina

Golden Boy
Good. No reason why it should be changed.


what do you mean bring back? it was never there except for cutscenes and on vehicles.

1st person will work better. if they do a 3rd person mode then cool but not gonna wait for it.
Initially they said it would feature a 3rd person mode, but decided to scrap that idea. Thats what people mean with „bring back“.
 

Sentenza

Member
I was just watching how ResetEra is already in full crybully mode because they can't tell that "The game is not a political thesis" (as "it doesn't hamfist a single message down to the player's throat") does NOT equate to "There's absolutely no political subtext in the entire game".
 
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The Reeeeetards are up in arms about this.

"NOT GOING TO BUY THIS GAME ANYMORE"

"CANT SUPPORT CD PROJECT RED"

"BUT BU BU MA POLITICS"

Thank God that CDPR don't give a fuck about the vocal minority that seems hellbent on ruining video games. Everyone should stfu and let developers fulfil their creative vision as they see fit, as long as there is no racism. Besides, I only want to play Cyperpunk to have a good time, not to analyse any political undertones - and I certainly don't give two shits about them.
Those 'tards don't play games anyway.
 

FunkMiller

Member
Video games - like movies, tv and any other form of entertainment media - should always strive to tell the best stories first... and highlight politics second. If the second gets in the way of the first, it shouldn’t be in it. All of the best stories that have successfully and organically highlighted a political standpoint have made sure the story and characters are right first. That’s the only way it works.
 

cormack12

Gold Member
What the morons at reeee dont understand is that its a politically charged game, but not our politics. It doesnt have anything to do with our own politics (which is a sad fucking shitshow anyway). But ofcoufse the game itself has many political standpoints which is logical.

Nail. On. Head.

tenor.gif


Dev is obviously saying the game will only self reference itself. They're not going to try and absorb real world happenings and use their game as a vehicle to make a commentary on them, or push an ideology. A game can have political themes or messages while not taking a position or forcing a cause based on real world current affairs.

Also I'm fed up of these outlets asking loaded questions like this as well. How the fuck could they suddenly absorb this into years long productions?
 

CSJ

Member
Yeah Resetera can't understand the difference between wanting to make a "Political Statement" and having "Political Themes".
It absolutely will have political themes, but it's not trying to make a statement.

Fucking context and learning to read I swear.
 
Usually people who defend games should be political do so as long as the developer sides with their political view. I hope games CAN be political if the developer wants to go that way, but saying they SHOULD, in my opinion, is to limit their creative freedom. It's a good thing CD Projekt are making the game they want to make.

Normally i would agree but based on where most of these companies are located, the TDS is off the charts. Many of us are sick of hearing how these self proclaimed communist/Marxist heroes are fighting against the evil capitalist orange man. Luckily CDPR seems somewhat immune to it for now.
 
H

hariseldon

Unconfirmed Member
A not political Cyberpunk story? Worst thing I've heard about this gamd

Do they even understand their genre at all?

I get the feeling they mean not 2020 political. There’s a difference between issue of the day politics and the politics of humanity, the eternal struggle of ideas and ideologies. The former would quickly date and become ham fisted, but the latter, focusing on the eternal and universal nature of the human condition, gives you something that will last and become a true classic.
 

nyr88nyg

Banned
Why would they? Murders happen all the time. Floyd’s death was not the result of anything systemic. The BLM was born out of a lie that unarmed black people are being mowed down in the streets by cops, but if you look at facts, that isn’t the case. Black on black violence is a much more serious problem that libs don’t want to address.
 

#Phonepunk#

Banned
I love how stupid and childish game journalists are

“so did you put any major changes into this game as a result of last weeks news?”

are these people idiots? do they think you can magically change development on a game suddenly at the end?

what do they honestly expect from these devs? or were they told to cram that question in no matter how irrelevant it was to the topic at hand?
 

nyr88nyg

Banned
I love how stupid and childish game journalists are

“so did you put any major changes into this game as a result of last weeks news?”

are these people idiots? do they think you can magically change development on a game suddenly at the end?

what do they honestly expect from these devs? or were they told to cram that question in no matter how irrelevant it was to the topic at hand?
Gaming journalism isn’t a real job, that’s the type of job you expect liberal arts majors to flock to.
 
H

hariseldon

Unconfirmed Member
I love how stupid and childish game journalists are

“so did you put any major changes into this game as a result of last weeks news?”

are these people idiots? do they think you can magically change development on a game suddenly at the end?

what do they honestly expect from these devs? or were they told to cram that question in no matter how irrelevant it was to the topic at hand?

1. They don’t have the brainpower to understand the processes behind developing a complex piece of software.
2. They wanted their gotcha question. They always want their gotcha question.
 

Spukc

always chasing the next thrill
Fucking cowards. Imagine if they had a section where you could save George Floyd from a cop. That would be epic and trigger the nazi chud snowflakes.
what happened to your avatar you silly donkey?
 

Dontero

Banned
Fucking cowards. Imagine if they had a section where you could save George Floyd from a cop. That would be epic and trigger the nazi chud snowflakes.

You can buy Braindance about Floyd death. You play as Floyd in that scene, you have to important choice to make: Do meth and fentanyl or go to your wife and kids. Player picks go to wife and wins the game. Credits roll.
 

Spukc

always chasing the next thrill
I was just watching how ResetEra is already in full crybully mode because they can't tell that "The game is not a political thesis" (as "it doesn't hamfist a single message down to the player's throat") does NOT equate to "There's absolutely no political subtext in the entire game".
You should try playing wokenstein 2
 

Shai-Tan

Banned
Good for them.

^Yeah dude the reshitera soy boys are PMSing big time over this. Love to see it.

even if there weren't a pre-existing grudge people on forums/social media tend to pile on without reading beyond the headline. something like 80% of retweets of articles are by people who don't even read them. the headline for this article is misleading
 
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iNvid02

Member
The audacity of these cucks to make CDPR change their envisioned work of art at the last minute to incorporate this shit, pathetic
 
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