CD Projekt RED, the developer of Cyberpunk 2077, has made an apology for a joke it made on the official Twitter account of the upcoming cyberpunk RPG. The joke in question, which was considered by some to be transphobic, has also been removed.
Cyberpunk 2077 is the next project from the studio behind the acclaimed Witcher series of games, but it’s shaping up to be an entirely different experience from that trilogy. The new title goes to a near-future setting, and even mixes things up from a gameplay perspective by being first-person in nature. All in all, it has many video game fans very excited about Cyberpunk 2077’s release.
Not for the first time, however, a CD Projekt RED-run Twitter account has posted a joke that’s raised eyebrows. This time around, it was a response to a follower stating “I want more guys” in reference to further content from Gamescom, with CD Projekt RED replying with “Did you just assume their gender?!” This is a callback to a well-known transphobic meme that mocks sensitivity towards gender, and the response from fans of the developer’s work led to the apology below.
Although the joke itself may not be considered the most egregious example of transphobia, nonetheless it’s been seen by many as an example of lazy, edgy humor, and the post itself was swiftly removed. The apology - albeit “to all those offended” - seems to have been appreciated by fans concerned about the joke in question, and now those interested in the game have perhaps gone back to looking over those stunning Cyberpunk 2077 screenshots.
It’s not the first time that CD Projekt RED has been caught out through careless jokes on Twitter, but leaving a message that could be considered transphobic on the Cyberpunk 2077 account is a strange one. After all, plenty of works that use a cyberpunk setting have explored the nature of gender, and transhumanism is the core facet of cyberpunk as a whole. As such, it was not just a tone-deaf comment, but one that - albeit briefly - showed a bit of a misunderstanding of why the cyberpunk subgenre appeals to so many.
Hopefully, though, this doesn’t hint at a lack of understanding overall, and so far Cyberpunk 2077 is shaping up to be a very exciting prospect. This year, gamers have been given much more information about the title, including a greater look at the game at E3 2018, and hopefully more information will continue to trickle through. However, it would be nice if it also came without the occasional lazy joke.
