CD Projekt Red’s upcoming RPG Cyberpunk 2077 definitely made a splash at E3 2019.
The highly-anticipated game got itself a new trailer and a release date, and it all came courtesy of Keanu Reeves, who’s been confirmed to be playing a pretty big role in the title.
More and more A-List celebrities seem to be making the move from the silver screen to the small one, including the likes of Mads Mikkelsen, who’s starring in Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding.
Speaking to BBC NewsBeat, Keanu Reeves weighed in on the idea that the video games industry is less legitimate than more traditional acting, saying it’s a claim that he doesn’t agree with.
When asked what peoples’ reactions to his video game role were, he said that he’d have no qualms with raving about the once-in-a-lifetime role – if he hadn’t been sworn to secrecy before E3.
“I don’t think need legitimising. If anything, I’d say it’s gone the other way,” said Reeves. “It’s more of the influence that gaming’s had on…let’s call it Hollywood. Certainly with the Marvel Universe, right? But then gaming probably started in the beginning with Hollywood. I think these technologies have been talking to each other.”
He went on to discuss the huge leaps in technology that have historically enabled actors to be aged up, aged down, or even appear onscreen after their passing, and how this is technology now used for motion capture in gaming.
Reeves will be playing a Cyberpunk 2077 character by the name of Johnny Silverhand, presumably because of that bit shiny hand of his. In addition to his appearance and voice, Reeves is also providing full-body motion capture for the character, and from what we’ve seen so far it’s looking like some seriously impressive stuff.
According to CD Projekt Red, Reeves actually has the second-biggest speaking role in the entire game, second only to the protagonist.
Speaking to BBC NewsBeat, Reeves gave a little information about the character he’s playing, saying: “I’m kind of a guide. You know, you have to do something, but Johnny wants you to do something too. There’s this…Am I your friend? Am I a foe? Am I really helping you? Am I not helping you? Are you in my way?”
Cyberpunk 2077 will be released on PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, April 16, 2020.
Featured Image Credit: E3