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We here at CD PROJEKT RED are so excited for the launch of the Edgerunners Update — and with our first-ever anime Cyberpunk: Edgerunners coming hot on its heels (September 13th!), we thought this would be the perfect time to share some additional insights about what the two releases have in common. Trust me, it’s more than just the name.
In Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, we first meet David Martinez when he’s just a down-on-his-luck street kid peddling black market braindances (XBDs) to help him and his mother Gloria get by. Her bright yellow jacket — which is passed down to David — becomes a visual cornerstone of the anime, so it’s no surprise that we chose to include it in the latest update.
Franchise & Lore Designer Patrick Mills, who worked on selecting the items that would make it from the anime into Cyberpunk 2007, agrees:
“David’s jacket was an obvious choice, as it’s an iconic element of the anime that has a lot of meaning to it. We’re excited for people to pick up the item in-game and feel connected to the story of the anime in a tactile way. For people who haven’t seen the anime, I hope they enjoy it as a cool new jacket to wear around town and pose with in Photo Mode, but for people who watch the anime and know the backstory, it’s my hope that it’s another bridge between the world of the show and the world of the game.”
This Legendary level item becomes an even greater catch thanks to the introduction of the Wardrobe, our transmog system. Dropping a piece of stylish gear for something with better armor always hurts, but now players can dress for the dark future without sacrificing their builds.
The jacket isn’t the only thing left lying around after David’s explosive and bloody time in Night City. Players can also discover a new weapon — a shotgun named “Guts” that packs a powerful real-world punch thanks to DualSense’s Adaptive Triggers functionality introduced in the previous next-gen update. Combining the two worlds in a thoughtful and organic way, from the item descriptions to the dialogue, was at the forefront of our minds as we planned this update.
Writer Rafał Babraj was clear about his approach from the beginning:
“We wanted to embed the characters and story from the anime in our game as immersively as possible, and I think we found a cool narrative way of doing that. But we also wanted to make it a bit mysterious, teasing just enough of the anime to ignite the curiosity of players and push them to discover what happened to David and his crew in Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. We took into consideration the personalities of the anime characters and tried to reflect that in the way they communicate in-game, or in the descriptions of the items that belonged to them.”
Babraj also teased that, “These may be two different stories, but V and David actually have a lot in common — what exactly that is, players and viewers will have to discover for themselves!”
Players can also expect a brand-new quest, one that leads to David’s jacket and ties the two worlds together properly. Quest Director Paweł Sasko worked with his team to make sure that the game and anime fit together:
“Cyberpunk 2077 and Cyberpunk: Edgerunners share the same, fascinating, dystopian world, but there are obvious differences in the graphic style of the two, so we had to come up with exciting and logical solutions on how to tie them together. I asked Expert Quest Designer Danisz Markiewicz to watch the anime and pitch narrative solutions that would build upon the story told in Edgerunners and connect it well with the game. He proposed to go the braindance route and in fact use a clip from the anime in the game! I loved that solution and we started exploring our options on how to pull it off. Thanks to a few other devs, our partners at Netflix, and an extra pinch of creativity, we made it a reality. The braindance itself contains two small secrets and I’m curious to read online when our players uncover it.”
When it came to creating the links between the two stories, the process wasn’t just a one-way street, but something organic and collaborative. In Sasko’s words:
“Studio Trigger did an incredible job of making Night City really come to life in the anime, and those who know the game well can easily recognize where key events take place. What I find fascinating is that at first Trigger was inspired by the game, and then we became inspired by their remarkable work as we set out to enrich the game in the Edgerunners Update. That’s why the placement of the braindance, gear, and all the other small events throughout the quest are tied to the storyline of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners very deliberately and intentionally. The quest was designed to be an expression of gratitude from us to fans of Cyberpunk 2077 and the Cyberpunk: Edgerunners anime.”
The anime-related content we’ve highlighted here is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the Edgerunners Update. There’s plenty more in store for gamers, like a playable Roach Race mini-game, additional weapons, quests, and the ability to pose Nibbles in Photo Mode. For the full list of features, visit the website — and learn more about the anime here. Or better yet, jump into the game and check everything out for yourself!
Cyberpunk 2077 is available through the PlayStation Store for PS4 and PS5 at a price of $49.99.