Cyberpunk 2077 is packed with lore, most being discovered as part of side-missions and contracts from Night City's fixers. One notable example is the "Cyberpsycho Sightings" missions, allowing V to help Watson fixer Regina Jones track down individuals who are afflicted with cyberpsychosis. Many of the NPCs that V encounters have tragic and avoidable interactions with cyberpsychosis caused by negative side effects of the implants in their bodies. While cyberpsychosis is one of the most interesting parts of the entire game, it's not extensively explored. The Cyberpunk 2077 sequel should explore the ramifications of cyberpsychosis in greater depth.
"Cyberpsychos," individuals whose cyberpsychosis has manifested as violent or harmful behavior, are essentially pariahs in Night City, especially as there seems to be very few resources for treatment. While Cyberpunk 2077 focuses on the combat potential of cyberpsychos - including them as unpredictable and often powerful enemies for V - the game doesn't explore the disease as a public health crisis with enormous implications for Night City and the New United States of America. While players might have to wait until Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty is released to learn more, there are ample possibilities for cyberpsychosis to appear in the confirmed sequel.
Cyberpunk 2077: How Cyberpsychosis Works
Cyberpunk 2077 players who have encountered numerous cyberpsychos have probably seen how the disease affects each person differently, depending on the technology causing the issue and underlying susceptibility to the behavioral mods involved. Mike Pondsmith - creator of the Cyberpunk TTRPG series that the video game is adapting - compares cyberpsychosis to addiction, alluding to a person's background, mental health history, and coping skills as relevant factors. This is shown in the game through a diversity of circumstances that cyberpsychos are living in, many struggling.
With player protagonist V seemingly able to buy and install many cybernetic components for use in combat, some Cyberpunk 2077 players might be wondering how they were able to avoid cyberpsychosis themselves. Pondsmith attributes this resistance to V having Johnny Silverhand in their body, the rocker's rage absorbing the cyberpsychosis while possibly dealing with the disease himself. In fact, Cyberpunk antagonist Adam Smasher and David Martinez from Cyberpunk Edgerunners are known cyberpsychos. Given the prevalence of cybernetics in Night City, it's a wonder how the entire population isn't dealing with the condition.
How Cyberpunk 2077's Sequel Could Involve The Consequences of Cyberpsychosis
The consequences of cyberpsychosis are well demonstrated in Cyberpunk 2077, as the Cyberpsychos that V tracks down have unique stories of their cybernetics malfunctioning. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners examines the consequences of cyberpsychosis and human augmentation throughout the series. While Cyberpsychosis could potentially explain the incredible propensity for violence in Night City, it would be smart for the upcoming Cyberpunk 2077 sequel to focus on how the condition is treated. Known cyberpsychos are "encouraged" to join a government registry and participate in therapy, often allowed to exist freely until they improve or are killed outright.
The game also alludes to the idea that individuals with cyberpsychosis are forever changed, prone to permanent mental and psychological damage. It's likely that cybernetic companies like Kiroshi and Biodyne, as well as the Night City government, are well aware of cyberpsychosis but have done nothing to fix the issue. The sequel could explore this possible corporate greed. The protagonist could potentially contend with cyberpsychosis as part of a game mechanic akin to David Martinez's experience, or even explore the forcible cybernetic experimentation that the cyberpsycho NPCs in Cyberpunk endured. All in all, the cause and ramifications of cyberpsychosis remain ripe for exploration.
Cyberpunk 2077 is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
