The world ofCyberpunkis vast. Since the series was created in 1988 as a pen-and-paper RPG series, the franchise has spawned numerous sequels and spin-offs. After a lengthy hiatus following the 1990 sequel, the series returned in 2019 withCyberpunk RED, created to coincide with the 2020 release ofCyberpunk 2077, the open-world RPG video game from developer CD Projekt Red. These newer projects broughtCyberpunk’s world into the mainstream, and have paved the way for future projects.
Given the scope ofCyberpunk 2077, it was perhaps inevitable that it would spawn spin-offs and other projects that take place in Night City.Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, a ten-episode anime series that will debut on Netflix on September 13, is the first of these spin-offs. It promises to tell a standalone story that follows a street kid trying to survive in the technology and body-modification obsessed futuristic Night City. With confirmation thatCyberpunk: Edgerunnerswill be based within the same world and city asCyberpunk 2077, fans of the first-person RPG will be keen to know what, if any, links will be present between the two.
RELATED:Cyberpunk 2077: Every Radio Station, Ranked
Cyberpunk 2077’s World is Vast
The hype surroundingCyberpunk 2077’s release was huge. Coming offThe Witcher 3’s critical and commercial success, CD Projekt Red was riding a fresh wave of optimism, and had made some incredibly ambitious promises regarding what gamers could expect fromCyberpunk 2077. While the now-infamous launch was something of an unmitigated disaster riddled with glitches, the developer has tried to fix the game over time through patches. Over time, that goal has gone some way to being achieved, and while it hasn’t won everyone over, most critics and gamers agree thatCyberpunk 2077is now a solid gamewith a lot to offer.
Whatever criticism was aimed at CD Projekt Red in the fallout of the disastrous launch, one thing that was never pulled into question was the amount of love and attention it had poured into the world of Night City. Its futuristic aesthetics, complete with body modification and netrunning, meant that Night City inevitably had many more stories to tell than one game could contain. Even with the promise that aCyberpunkDLC expansion could be coming soon, it was hard to imagine Night City not being explored further through different mediums. Sure enough, as well asCyberpunk 2077comics, the anime series seems the next natural iteration for the franchise.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is the Next Step
There are many interesting and memorable characters fromCyberpunk 2077. From Keanu Reeves' wise-cracking, irrational, and fearlessJohnny Silverhand, to the beautiful and talented Alt Cunningham, there is no shortage of characters who would probably fit seamlessly into the anime series. Given the confirmed cast of characters forEdgerunnersthough, and the absence of any known character names, it looks like the best that fans can hope for are some cameo appearances from some familiar faces.
The series will focus on six brand-new characters. The two main ones, David and Lucy, share no obvious connections withCyberpunk 2077. Whether less obvious connections will surface over the course of the ten-episode series remains to be seen. Gamers can at least look forward to seeing some familiar locations recreated in anime form, and the likes of Santo Domingo and Watson are set to feature, as well as some standout locations from the game, such as the imposing Arasaka Tower, home to theArasaka Corporationand the highly dysfunctional family that runs it. The show has been made to cater to fans of the game as well as people who have never played it, so while fans should expect some degree of fan service, that certainly won’t be the main focus of the series by a long stretch.
Just how much the show will connect with the video game is up for debate right now, but it doesn’t look like it will connect in a huge way, besides sharing the same world and city. Fortunately,fans ofCyberpunk 2077won’t have long to wait before they can find out.
Cyberpunk 2077is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
