The Cyberpunk 2077 official page just revealed a new artwork to the public, and the excitement around it is not just a small thing. I mean, it is really up there with the most serious types of buzzing. The image came along with the phrase ‘Night City is V, V is Night City! 🔥’ and the artist, @RonjakiArt, was mentioned. The painting is… I can’t describe it with words, it is more than that. It is one of those pieces that can only be felt together with the game. All the elements: the mood, the character, the entire whirlwind of love, danger, and chaos that is the city are all there.
The gamers? They are quite relaxed about it. The feedback on the picture is all positive and accompanied by a sense of nostalgia, which is typical for Cyberpunk 2077. Through their comments, players express feelings and one of them, Wankoclypse, got us all tearful with ‘Night City is Art. I just want to go home 🥲.’ Me too, choom. Same. It’s that odd mix of being crazy about this digital world while still feeling its sorrowful attraction. Another user, Gro3_, felt compelled to sum it up with ‘choom, this is it.’ Absolutely no notes. That’s the response.
However, it is not only about the emotions. People have been left in awe and are not shy to express it. KesselRunner was quick to point out the tremendous detailing in the piece and soon after that, others were clamoring for the work to be available as a poster. CraigBurkhart4 was quite direct in saying ‘We need this in a poster,’ which was followed by WiseFishGaming’s similar request of ‘Oh man I want that as a poster!!’ So, CD Projekt Red, @RonjakiArt, if you’re listening… we might have some very promising merch idea just like that. The demand is clearly there.
Of course, it is a Cyberpunk 2077 community thing, so healing via grafting comes with the bittersweet aftertaste of ‘what’s next’. A very common phenomenon was the art inciting players to reflect on the game’s journey. TasteLabsAI was the one to say ‘this hurts more if you know the story of cyberpunk,’ which was, indeed, true emotion. From a shaky debut to one of the most adored games, the development team’s tough road seems like a Night City saga. With that awareness comes the inevitable question, when it is asked by user Miao_zhang214 and others: ‘Where is the DLC?’
That one comment triggered an entire mini-thread. Another person chimed in that ‘We literally need more DLC’s 😩’ and then yet another player, DaBaldEagul, had to let the cold truth come through in his response, stating, ‘They’ve explicitly announced that no more DLC will come, and all devs are focused on the sequel.’ It is the endless cycle for a game that has really cemented its place—players just want more of that world now that it has finally revealed itself. The artwork reminds us of the great world that is making it seem even harder to wait for the sequel, Project Orion.
Nevertheless, the thread is primarily a celebration of player identity and unity. Jeiku Iraisan pointed out excellently that the art ‘demonstrates the multiple interpretations of Vincent and Valerie.’ Isn’t that the reason for RPG games’ fate? Different players will have different Vs, but they will all be part of Night City. The artistic interpretation may be of one V but it is a symbol of all the Vs. TrooperFrost51 even humorously proclaimed ‘He’s literally me,’ which is the utmost recognition a gamer can possibly give.
Responses also carry a note of fun and chaotic energy. One user posted a GIF of a guy nodding with great intensity, another one uploaded a picture of Johnny Silverhand, and there was even a brief and perplexing exchange in another language which was translated to something about ‘how beautiful.’ The entire incident possesses the vitality aspect, almost like the game has its own afterlife on social media. This is more than just a tweet, it is a small community enclave composed of players who adore night city and the aesthetics, and the future sharing their love and dreams.
So what’s the takeaway? Cyberpunk 2077 continues to inspire incredible fan creations and its community never gets tired, the art being one thing and then their anticipation for the next thing switched. The statement ‘Night City is V, V is Night City’ can be rephrased only as a text one. The character and the location are one and only. One cannot be without the other. This artwork from @RonjakiArt testifies that the link is still very strong even after the launch. It is a homage to the world that CD Projekt Red created and the passionate community around it, which often shares a vibrant connection with platforms like PlayStation and Xbox.
