CD Projekt Red has created for this moment some absolutely stunning fanart for Songbird from Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty DLC, and let me tell you-the comment section exploded. It got the whole cyberware-enhanced fury versus passionate defense squad chaos.
The official Cyberpunk account posted this gorgeous piece with the cover saying, “For one second… I know I wasn’t alone. 💔” It linked the artist-then-BAM-gamers went to war.
From the very outset, CDNLibertyGamer threw a curve ball with the original take: “Arguably the most evil character in the game.” Oh Gawd, yeah, it just opened the floodgates! Players fired back names like Adam Smasher, Woodman, Dexter DeShawn, and Yorinobu Arasaka: “ummm excuse me, have you PLAYED this game??” And then other arguments came up about how manipulative Songbird was to V while they were literally dying, making her worse than the others. That conversation transitioned into huge debates on morality on whether desperate circumstances justify bad actions. It’s like, people got REALLY invested in whether this digital character is redeemable.
Meanwhile, some just want to hurt her in greater ways. Dori Dorime calls her “the most tragic person in this story,” which… checks out. The whole Phantom Liberty story is just pain with extra steps. Then come the shameful “I can fix her” kind of people because… of course, they do. Rohit just casually drops the classic “I can fix her” line while others call her “birbwife” and feel all emotional about the artwork itself. The tonal whiplash in this replies section is insane-one side is having somewhat deep philosophical debates pondering on whether it is righteous to condemn a morally mutable digital construct, while the other is flat-out asking for bigger Panam assets in the next patch. Really, there is nothing new about Cyberpunk communities, is there?
Speaking of the patch… Several gamers are now concerned about a prospective new DLC, the continuation, and Marian Ghena is boldly proclaiming, “Can’t wait for the sequel!” Same choom, same, indeed! But the rest are asking about NG+, which has been requested ever since launch, really. I don’t know what to make of these mixed signals coming from this player base-anybody want more story, anybody want new gameplay features, others just want to debate the ethics of fictitious characters.
The real hot topic, however, is the divide on Songbird. It’s like punchl1ne: at least she tells the truth in the end and gives you the choice, unlike some characters who are just all-out evil. But then CDNLibertyGamer goes on to argue with “Well, her circumstances don’t give her the right to manipulate a dying person.” This spirit very, very deeply continues on the thread with multiple users jumping on both sides, practically turning into a mini philosophy class.
Let’s talk about how Judy’s account actually appeared in the replies! judyxiAlvarez literally goes about engaging with other characters as if it were totally normal. The RP dimension of this community remains the most entertaining aspect of Cyberpunk’s continued presence online.
But down to the end of the day, the artwork itself is receiving massive praise from all sides. CanadianZar VP called it “beautiful piece,” and Gro3 said it was “truly captivating,” and they’re not actually lying in looking at it. That emotional portrayal of Songbird was something that came right out of the artist’s heart. Arguing that this vulnerable portrayal triggered strong reactions, one can only link that to the in-game acts undertaken by this character.
Whether you consider Songbird to be the worst person in Night City or just another victim of the system, one thing is clear: Phantom Liberty produced one of the most memorable and highly discussed characters in recent gaming memory. With the sequel already confirmed to be in development, watching whether CDPR resurrects these controversial characters or creates new ones for us to argue over for years will be smashing fun. Also, it’s half the fun anyway.
