With just 50 days left until release, CD Projekt Red has dropped a new Cyberpunk 2077 commercial, starring Keanu Reeves and showcasing some of the characters, settings, and action we’ll get to see in Night City. The commercial includes some never-before-seen footage alongside some we’ve already seen, and is the start of their larger marketing campaign that will eventually include TV and print advertisements.
Given that the new commercial clocks in at exactly 30 seconds, it looks to be designed with TV in mind. In fact, it has already aired, in Game 1 of the NBA finals.
V’s car looking like it needs a trip to Los Santos Customs
The commercial seems to be in the same style as most television ads for video games. There is no mention of what kind of game Cyberpunk 2077 actually is, and most of the scenes are cinematic rather than in-game footage. The commercial focuses on flashy and intriguing shots, either action or slick looking tech and characters. It also features a popular Billie Eilish song, “Bad Guy”.
Never bring a gun to a katana fight
Many fans might be wondering if Cyberpunk 2077 even needs more advertising, considering that the majority of the gaming community undoubtedly already knows about CP2077. But considering that the new marketing campaign appears (at least so far) geared towards non-gamers, it makes sense that CDPR are trying to snag more of the casual audience in the lead up to release.
What’s New in the Commercial
Despite the apparent focus on reaching people who haven’t heard of Cyberpunk 2077, there were still some new takeaways even for those of you who have already pored over every other bit of news on the game.
Like getting a tattoo, but even more painful
That we would be able to upgrade V with cyberware was already known, but there were still some interesting new looks at the cyberware installation process in the new commercial. The first one appears to be a dermal grip of some kind, but the next cyberware we see is some sort of implanted spine, along with ports and panels along the neck and shoulder.
Looks like it would itch
It is unclear what kind of mod this represents, exactly. We also got a very cool closeup of an eye packing some Hiroshi optics cyberware. Digitally enhanced vision is also a nice clean explanation for the HUD that the player will have in-game, a-la Gordon Freeman’s HEV suit.
No need for glasses! Subscribe to the “20/20” service package for a few creds more
Wisdom from Johnny Silverhand
In the new commercial, Keanu (who plays Johnny Silverhand in the game) tells us that “In Night City, you can become anyone… anything… if your body can pay the price”. This alludes to consequences for the use of cyberware, though whether it’s just narrative flavor or an in-game mechanic we have to worry about is unclear. We do know that the game will include bounty missions where the player tracks down people who have cyberpsychosis, a condition where people lose control of their morality (and their minds) due to excessive cyberware installation. Note: If you want to know what that looks like, most of the Maelstrom gang is pretty much there already.
Johnny Silverhand then tells us to “Seize the day… then set it on fire”. This line is similar to his “We have a city to burn” line in last year’s E3 Keanu Reeves reveal teaser, and might be a reference to the fact that it was likely Johnny Silverhand and his friends (the “Atlantis Group”) who detonated a nuclear weapon inside Arasaka Towers and destroyed half of the city in 2022.
Whether or not you believe Cyberpunk 2077 needs more advertising, there’s no denying the crossover appeal that car chases, cool cyberware, and Keanu Reeves all have. It will be interesting to see what the rest of CDPR’s advertising campaign ends up looking like.
Do you think we’ve seen enough trailers already? Does everyone you know already know about Cyberpunk 2077? Let us know in the comments!
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DanielD
Unabashed FromSoftware fanboy still learning to take his time with games (and everything else, really). The time he doesn't spend on games is spent on music, books, or occasionally going outside.
