The designer has been on Gamelab Live to discuss aspects of the current state of the industry and also of the general society in which we live.
Mike Pondsmith has been one of the big guests to the digital edition of Gamelab Live that is taking place this week. The designer of videogames and board games, author of Cyberpunk 2020 (which is inspired by Cyberpunk 2077) has reflected both on the constantly changing electronic entertainment sector, and also on today’s society, affected today by the consequences still undefined of a pandemic that has not ended: “We are living Cyberpunk”.
“The human being is an inherently political”
Pondsmith’s words have not focused on that fictional universe, which turns out to be not so different from flesh and blood. We are, according to his criteria, in a virutal world where big companies are taking control and directing the rest of the citizens, but “if you are fast and intelligent enough, you can lead the revolution”.
Mike Pondsmith
For the American designer, awarded in 1994 with an Origins Awards for the best role-playing game by Castle Frankenstein and in 2006 at the Origins Awards as a member of the Hall of Fame, the Cyberpunk universe is nothing more than a warning for the future; that is, an avoidable future, but also a future that we are approaching. “You do not want this to happen, but you should be aware that it can happen to prevent it,” he said at the conference held this Wednesday.
All in all, Cyberpunk Red will soon be released, its new board game that will serve as a prequel to what Cyberpunk 2077 will pose this November in the world of video games by CD Projekt. In Red, the protagonists are not destined to lose, but “you can have an effect in that universe, change things”. It is therefore a reversible future.
Lastly, he stresses that “the human being is an inherently political being”, which in his opinion justifies that video games and any other artistic manifestation may have some kind of political burden.
All in all, Cyberpunk 2077 will hit stores this November 19 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. In Google Stadia it will do it later. The game will soon have an update for PS5 and Xbox Series X that can be used for free, at no cost, by those who have previously made the current generation versions. In 2021 the new generation pure version will be published. Follow here, live, the Night City Wire where we will see new gameplay of the title.
More information | Gamelab
