One of Cyberpunk 2077’s big selling points is its detailed character creator options, allowing players to choose their character’s backstory, and body type. But the deep customization options have left some fans wondering how gender will influence NPCs’ perception of their character, leading CD Projekt Red Lead Quest Designer Pawel Sasko to address gender-related questions in a recent interview.

In Cyberpunk 2077, players can choose their character’s genitals separately from their voice and body type. This means that a player can potentially create a transgender character if they wish.

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While many have praised the freedom of customization, some are curious as to how gender will affect their relationships with NPCs, or whether their character’s gender will shut them off from certain quests. Sasko recently shed light on the question is an interview with Spider’s Web.

According to Sasko, NPCs will identify the player character’s gender based on the voice the player chooses. “The voice you choose affects how the characters you meet perceive you and what pronoun they address to you, i.e. how you identify as a character,” Sasko said. As far as how gender will affect romantic relationships, Sasko said that while NPCs have their own preferences, what really affects your relationship to a potential lover is the choices you make. “Thanks to this, you’ll be able to create your individual story and relationship with that particular character,” Sasko continued. Romantic relationships were a major feature in CD Projekt Red's Witcher series, and that will evidently continue in Cyberpunk 2077.

Sasko added that CD Projekt Red was very careful when addressing gender in Cyberpunk 2077. Last year, CD Projekt Red was criticized for an in-game ad depicting a transgender character, with some levying accusations of transphobia. But those criticisms have seemed to dissipate, which may have to do with CD Projekt Red’s decision to give players total freedom over their character’s gender and sexual identity.

The decision makes sense in the futuristic world of Cyberpunk 2077, where people use cybernetics and bionics to customize everything about their bodies. It is also another step in including and representing transgender people in video games. After all, how many other video games have allowed gamers to play as a transgender protagonist? Aside from that, representing transgender people makes perfect sense in the tradition of the cyberpunk genre, as gender identity is a reoccurring theme in cyberpunk novels.

Cyberpunk 2077 will release November 19 on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

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Source: Spider's Web (via Sirus Gaming)