The Cybepunk 2077 Twitter account made a post containing a birthday message for Song So Mi also known as Songbird the character from the Phantom Liberty expansion. The players responded to the third celebration tweet which had one of the fans’ screenshots by giving the character not only heartfelt birthday wishes but also asking about the future content of the game. This whole situation can be interpreted as a sign that the community around CD Projekt Red’s RPG, despite being years from the original launch, is still alive and very active.
In simple words, the Cyberpunk official account just transferred a birthday shout-out to Songbird and the replies were…well, they were just about the same mood as the tweet. The tweet was all about a party, saying “chromed up” and throwing a celebration “beyond the Blackwall.” Nice, right? They even acknowledged the fan, @edwardframes, who snapped the pic as a kind act. Then as you scroll down through the responses, the gamers’ comments are a melting pot of love, memes, and blunt demands. It is like going to a party where some people are having a blast while others are tapping their feet asking when the next party is.
To begin with, a great number of players were simply over the moon to wish So Mi a happy birthday which is very nice. People like @Gro3_ and @n_zalar are merely putting up “happy birthday” notes. @ACSMST was thrilled to say he shares his birthday with Songbird and it made his day. That is one of the most delightful features about fandom, isn’t it? They are just there, supporting their favorite character with a little party and a bit of celebration. But then… the confusion starts.
The reason being Songbird’s storyline in Phantom Liberty has, let us be honest, a very complex and emotional plot. And the gamers definitely did not overlook that. One of the comments from @Pufuyumi was, “hbd so-mi. Kinda weird to say after I had killed her few hours ago.” Ouch! That is a tough one. Another gamer, @sjfostersound, admitted that they were “bad guys” just to avoid the creepy “Somewhat Damaged” mission. They cannot be blamed because that mission is pure terror. And @Quador is letting his sorrow out in a more… formal manner: “Songbird owes me a lot. I stood by her all the way and all I got was a postcard. What a thankless person!” It is humorous but at the same time you can sense the real pain from their gaming experience.
Plus, the most interesting part has yet to arrive and it even becomes more philosophical. One of the players, @jinxsbombs, remarked that the character has turned “2 years old’ which was referring to the character being introduced in 2023 with the DLC. Another user, @Jerome, was quick to respond with an in-world logic that was so hilarious claiming that in the Cyberpunk world a day lasts 3 hours so “Songbird is already much older. Do the math and it all basically checks out.” This is the type of heavy, witty banter that makes gaming communities great.
However, the main undercurrent in the replies was not specifically about Songbird but rather the future of Cyberpunk 2077. A good number of players took the birthday tweet as an occasion to ask what next for CD Projekt Red. @DIYMaker_Johan was rather blunt, “Soo… No new content? You’re awfully silent… Still hope for a whole new last and second expansion. I bet a lot of people are even willing to pay for it.” They pointed out e.g. a casino, the moon or the Crystal Palace as possible locations. Another user, @Tacticalpasta_, just requested a field-of-view slider for console players. You can almost sense the craving for more gaming content.
All this resulted in a mini-discussion of speculations between users @metacappa1 and @Quador about CDPR’s marketing strategy. They exchanged views on how the studio might engage in more free patches to drive sales and keep the buzz going for the next few years, with @Quador adding, “As a superfan, I’d buy any Cyberpunk release irrespective of its quality.” It’s an interesting insight how committed gamers perceive the developers’ decisions.
So what are we to learn from this birthday frenzy? It implies that Cyberpunk 2077, especially after its superb comeback with the 2.0 update and Phantom Liberty, has a very engaged player base. They are so attached to the characters that they celebrate even their fictional birthdays, but they are also so in love with the world that they long for more of it. The tweet was just a mere act of community interaction, but the replies turned it into a focus group.
