CD Projekt Red has just organized a surprise birthday party for V, the protagonist of Cyberpunk 2077, and players are remembering the good old days and speculating about the character’s future. The official Cyberpunk Game Twitter account told the story of V’s journey from a rookie in Watson to a legend in Corpo Plaza as a nostalgic game, so to speak, to the well-loved mercenary. The accompanying tweet also contained a magnificent work of art and sparked instant responses from various social network users.
The very first thing players noticed was that the birthday image depicted the masculine version of V very evidently. CDPR doesn’t usually do that with its marketing promos but this detail sparked off a lot of discussions about V’s canonical identity. The question “Is the male V back?” came straight from one user while another, talking with the artist, exclaimed “I think I done had a stroke… is that actually my boy, MALE V????” The atmosphere was filled with fun, and many were saying that they never expected the male version to get all the attention in the limelight.
The gender issue really escalated in the replies. One commenter stated, “the game was built in mind with male V not hoes,” and another got into the argument by saying that there is no canonical gender for V since it is entirely up to the player. Martin Šantrůček then said, “CDPR indicated the canon ending only, which is for both V the same.” This shows how much players are actually committed to their personal representations of V’s identity.
On the other hand, the birthday wishes were coming non-stop from everywhere. “Happy birthday to you Vi, we will remember and love you forever, and we hope that you will return 🎉🍻🎊” was the message from one open-hearted supporter. Another one was much simpler: “Happy birthday V” was the text with heart emojis, while others offered their own V artworks and screenshots to participate in the celebration. The community aspect was really strong – people were actually connecting with each other over a fictional character’s birthday as they would do with a real friend.
However, it was not only birthday cake and parties. Players rapidly realized the opportunity to ask about future updates and features. “Where is the patch for ps5 pro?” was the question one user almost shouted and another asked, “FOV Slider for Console would be the perfect Birthday Gift!” Someone even inquired about the thermal katana shipping status, thus proving that gamers do not miss any opportunity to get what they want.
The most fascinating conversations were around the possibility of V’s return in future content. A long thread explored whether it would be possible to carry on with V’s story even after Cyberpunk 2077‘s endings. User VIZERION_VII was arguing very strongly that “It’s not ‘physically impossible’ to revisit V’s story—CDPR hints at expansions/sequels with open threads. V doesn’t die in every non-PL ending; most are ambiguous with ~6 months for a cure.” They even said that V deserves to be treated like Geralt from The Witcher series with a full trilogy.
The whole idea of V coming back is indeed very appealing to the players who have built up deep relations with the character. The “rags to riches story like no other” in the words of one user has made the players always wanting more of V’s adventures. The emotional connection is very strong – people are not simply celebrating a game character’s birthday, they are celebrating someone they have led through the dangerous paths of Night City, made hard decisions with and finally transformed into their own personal legend.
The birthday party was quite a coincidence as well. Cyberpunk 2077’s significant patches and the Phantom Liberty expansion are still fresh in gamers’ minds, and it looks like CDPR is trying to keep the community hooked and at the same time remind the players why they fell in love with Night City in the first place. It is a clever community management tactic – recognizing the character who was the first to attract the audience while keeping the discussions about what might come next still going.
Some players even figured out that they share the same birthday as V and one of them enthusiastically said, “V IS A LIBRA let’s goooo” while the other was celebrating, “Sharing BDay with V is unmatchable.” Such personal connections reflect how much Cyberpunk 2077 has become a part of gaming culture – where even the most fictitious characters feel real enough to share birthday celebrations with.
The artwork was a hot topic too, as users were scrutinizing each and every detail and posting their own V creations in reaction. From custom characters to unforgettable in-game moments, the community rallied around to pay tribute to their most beloved mercenary. It was no longer just a corporate social media post but a communal celebration among people who have all lived V’s story in their own ways.
It certainly is no surprise that V is still one of the most interesting characters in the gaming world even after more than a year since Cyberpunk 2077’s launch. The adaptability of the character – being someone who can be either male or female, a corporate guy or a street kid, using guns or proceeding with stealth – means that each player has his or her own version of V. Nevertheless, CDPR somehow managed to unite them all as one essential character that is in constant struggle against the brutal reality of Night City.
While the birthday wishes are still flowing and there are still talks about V’s future, one thing is clear: this character has been a part of the gaming world forever. From the controversial release to the turnaround that was similar to V’s own journey, Cyberpunk 2077 and the lead character have become something very special to millions of users around the globe. The celebration of the birthday is not just a matter of paying homage to a fictitious being but it also entails commemorating the narratives that we have all experienced through V’s vision, and perhaps, just perhaps, wishing that we had not seen the last of the legendary mercenary of Night City.
Xbox players were particularly vocal about their feature requests during the celebration.
