Cyberpunk 2077 Designer Explains How Romance Will Work In The Upcoming RPG

There's been a lot of big news concerning Cyberpunk 2077 and how you can play the game and its world, and with the upcoming PAX gameplay reveal, that won't be changing. Recently, we learned the game will have non-binary gender options and have a world that's smaller but more tightly packed than The Witcher 3. The former is awesome as it offers you even more options and freedom to present your character the way you want, but that connects to an even larger question about how romance works in the game--a feature often included in large RPGs that emphasize narrative and relational choice.

A while back, screenshots of a private Twitter exchange with Cyberpunk 2077 lead quest designer Paweł Sasko were posted to Reddit, revealing new details about how the upcoming game's romance system would work. We reached out to CD Projekt Red to confirm the information, and in the process, we learned more about what to expect from the Deus Ex-like RPG.

"As for romances, throughout the game players will meet lots of characters with their own goals, motivations and needs," Sasko wrote in a statement to GameSpot. "Sometimes those goals align with what V is trying to achieve and, depending on the player's decisions, it may spark interest on the side of the NPC. Side characters won't fall for V in every scenario though. When something is not right, they may choose friendship over a romantic relationship. The sexual orientation of a given NPC also plays a role in such interactions. In The Witcher III, Geralt was a defined character who had a very clearly defined sexuality--in Cyberpunk, the choice of romantic partner is a part of freedom of play, that's why the game provides more options, going beyond heterosexual."

The earlier Twitter exchange did compare Cyberpunk 2077's romance to The Witcher III: Wild Hunt, but it didn't clarify just how similar. Now we know that in Cyberpunk 2077, much like The Witcher III, you can outright fail to attain a romantic connection with someone. However, unlike The Witcher III, not all romances are available to you. Sasko mentions that sexual orientation plays a role in whether a romance can be successful. That means some (or perhaps all) of the characters have a predetermined sexuality and gender, and won't mold themselves to fit whatever type of character you're roleplaying.

"Even in the world of Cyberpunk, relationships matter a lot," Sasko continues. "They are easier to have in some ways, and in the same time harder to cultivate. Players' choices define how many relationships V is going to have--but some preferences are impossible to change, almost how it is in real life. We believe that this is one of the key factors that makes characters feel genuine, natural, and real. We pay a great deal of attention to characters in the story, as they are the main pillars of the plot. And also because of that I should not say more about the topic, not to spoil anything for our players."

The Witcher III has a fairly humorous moment if you try to romance both Triss and Yennefer, ultimately punishing you for trying to be with both of them. In the same way, Sasko implies there are real consequences if V has many relationships. Though Sasko did not confirm, it seems like several NPCs will be okay with V being polyamorous (or having a fling or two on the side) while others will only enter into a romantic relationship with V if they stay faithful. We'll just have to wait and see.

CD Projekt Red also had to recently respond to rumors of multiple Cyberpunk projects in the works. In a statement, the company said it had multiple studios working on Cyberpunk 2077, but it didn't outright deny the rumors of other projects to come.

Cyberpunk 2077 is scheduled to release April 16, 2020 for Xbox One, PS4, and PC.