CD Projekt RED set off some chatter recently with some apparent comments regarding religion in the upcoming Cyberpunk 2077. While the quote that made the rounds online seemed to indicate an indifference to offensive topics, that turned out to be a mistranslation. Cyberpunk 2077 will indeed have religion in it, but not once did CD Projekt RED even talk about how it may offend some groups. In fact, the opposite may actually be true.
The quote is actually from early July 2019, but only began to spread recently. According to the NeoGAF post that contained the translated statement, CD Projekt RED Quest Designer Meteusz Tomaskiewicz claimed the studio “will not avoid any subject, even if they may offend the sensitivity of some.” That would supposedly include religion, which would be represented in-game via a faction of Christianity. A religion the player could subscribe to.
However, it turns out that statement was mistranslated, and that mistranslation changed the entire tone of the original quote. A statement to IGN confirmed that the translation was not accurate, and CD Projekt RED provided a more-accurately translated quote. Here is what Tomaskiewicz actually had to say regarding in-game religion:
Gry Online WP: You mentioned religion. Does it still exist in the Cyberpunk world?
CD Projekt Red: Yes, and in many forms. As I mentioned, our vision is somehow based on the real world. And religion is a very important part of the latter, society-wise. In our game we’re going to see for example Christianity and its different branches, or religions from the East.
Gry Online WP: Sounds controversial. Someone will enter a church to cause havoc.
CD Projekt Red: We do not want to avoid religion as a topic, authenticity of the world is what counts for us. Technically, the situation you mentioned is possible, but this is all about the choices made by the player. We won’t encourage the player to do so. In our quests, which involve religious themes, we make sure there’s no disrespect.
While Christianity can be found in-game, there’s nothing saying players can join a faction. In addition, Tomaskiewicz never mentioned anything regarding offending any groups of players. Rather, he noted how CD Projekt RED wanted to make sure it’s presented respectfully. While we’ll have to wait and see how religion is presented, it appears to be an element that’s present throughout the world, but players are free to choose whether they explore it or not. Which is true to real-life, and the rest of Cyberpunk 2077.
Cyberpunk 2077 will release on April 16, 2020.
[Source: IGN]
