What Side Games Will You be Able to Play in Cyberpunk 2077?

Cyberpunk 2077 Day One Update

Cyberpunk 2077 is one of the most eagerly anticipated games of all time, and with good reason. The futuristic epic has been developed by the esteemed Polish company CD Projekt Red, which has been responsible for The Witcher series in the past. These games are regarded among the greatest titles ever made, so expectations are high for what could come next. While some gameplay trailers have been released so far, there are still a number of details that have been kept secret. One of the reasons for the mass popularity of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt was a side game called Gwent. Players may be wondering whether Cyberpunk will feature a similarly addictive and engaging mini game – after all, Gwent was so popular that it was eventually developed into a standalone game, in the same fashion as Blizzard’s Hearthstone. 

CD Projekt Red will try to top Witcher 3

Geralt of Rivia’s extraordinary adventure in The Witcher 3 will be a seriously tough act to follow, but CDPR may have been wise in going for a vastly different genre. This way, the games will not get direct comparisons, and Cyberpunk can be judged on its own merits. Of course, with it coming out five years after the release of that last fantasy adventure, the new science fiction offering will have to show significant advancements in terms of graphics and scale. In this short space of time, the industry has advanced, and games like Red Dead Redemption 2 have now set the benchmark when it comes to open-world console titles.

It has been confirmed by quest design coordinator Phillip Weber that the structure of quests in the game will be similar to The Witcher 3. This means that there will be main story missions accompanied by other, smaller side quests. There will also be Street Stories, which give players a chance to build up their character’s street cred. As Weber stated here, each quest will be handcrafted; however, he didn’t mention any mini-games similar to Gwent.

Will they Look to the History of Slot Machines for Inspiration?

The great thing about Gwent in The Witcher 3 was that it seemed believable within that medieval fantasy world that the inhabitants would play such a card game. Despite the actual gameplay having animated features, you could imagine the characters in this universe pulling out their card decks and sitting down to play games with one another. In Night City, the setting of Cyberpunk, this would probably seem out of place, though. The creators would need to look to the future of games to assess what people that far ahead in time would be playing.

This is where they may come up with something to do with slot machines. Looking back at the history of one-armed bandits shows how this genre of game has evolved greatly throughout its lifespan. They earned that nickname thanks to the clunky machines of old coming with a lever at the side to spin the reels. The first-ever slot was created in 1887 by Charles Fey, and since then, they have undergone many changes. The casino slots of today found at online casinos are so different from the three-reel fruit machines of old, which has been outlined in many sources for which you can click here to find out more. Now, they are packed with animations and features, and have various different themes – and, often, moving paylines and bonus games. The current popularity of such games also proves that players through the ages continue to appreciate classic games, even when they are updated using technology.

For a side game in Cyberpunk, CDPR could examine what slot machines could look like in another sixty years’ time. It’s exciting to think about how much more evolved they could be by then. These games of the future will almost certainly make use of virtual reality, and could even have some elements of skill. For this reason, CDPR has a lot of leeway if it decides to make a side game based on slots.

What about Online Mode?

The Witcher 3 didn’t involve any online play, but it has been confirmed that Cyberpunk will have a multiplayer function. CDPR will have looked at the enormous success of the online mode in GTA V online, along with popular new games like Fortnite, and realized that an online multiplayer function in most genres of video games is essential nowadays. Players will be able to enjoy the single-player story mode on their own but, once they have completed it, they will have more to do with their friends in a cooperative format.

Despite the official announcement of a multiplayer mode, there has been little more information so far. It was reported here that the mode was in development by a 40-person team in Wroclaw, which suggests that it may not be released at the same time as the game in April 2020. This wouldn’t be too much of a surprise, as online modes for GTA V and Red Dead Redemption 2 came much later as well.

With the release date of Cyberpunk 2077 creeping around the corner, CDPR is likely to drip feed more details about it over the coming months. Whether it features an exciting side game like Gwent, however, remains to be seen.

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