Cyberpunk 2077 gave players a sprawling neon-drenched dystopia packed with chrome, violence, and moral decay, but one of its most powerful ideas, cyberpsychosis, was left painfully underexplored.
The concept is core to the universe but was barely developed in the game, so most players only saw bits of it through side quests, fragments, and some mods.
Now that the sequel is in development, CD Projekt Red can not only do this concept justice but also rebuild it into something unforgettable.
Why Should Cyberpsychosis Be a Gameplay System?
The foundation of Cyberpunk’s tabletop game includes cyberpsychosis, which is a mental disorder growing from too much cyberware and emotional stress.
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+ 4Not all who get implants lose control, but those who do lose what makes them human. The tabletop game showed this with a humanity stat, where each implant gradually reduced your empathy and pushed you closer to a breakdown.
In Cyberpunk 2077, this idea was only a brief narrative mention. Regina’s side missions and one Edgerunner-themed perk were the only places the mechanic showed up. V could stack cybernetic upgrades like a walking weapon and maintain a polite smile in every conversation.
The fear, deterioration, and loss of control were never experienced, and that was a major missed opportunity. The sequel needs to fix this. It should be a real gameplay system with a humanity meter that decreases with each implant, not just a weak perk or a simple visual effect.
As it depletes, V sees things, hears voices, loses control in combat, and a full breakdown can take over, forcing rampage mode or police response. Power must come with a cost, and in a world like Cyberpunk, that cost should be your mind.
What Really Triggers Cyberpsychosis?
Cyberpsychosis is caused not just by implants but also by trauma, stress, and the emotional damage common in Night City.
click to enlarge + 4Whether with a full cyber-skeleton or a simple upgrade, veterans, grieving parents, and exploited workers can all be caught in this.
The sequel should treat cyberpsychosis like a storm that reacts to your past, choices, and mental state, not just a direct result of implants causing insanity.
Some characters are naturally tougher, like David from Edgerunners, while others can break down after just one event.
A player’s backstory should shape their starting humanity, with their choices either keeping them grounded or slowly eroding their soul.
Should There Be Degrees of Cyberpsychosis?
Cyberpunk 2077 treated cyberpsychosis like a basic yes-or-no state, but real mental decline isn’t so black and white—it exists on a spectrum.
click to enlarge + 4The sequel could model that brilliantly through stages: early paranoia, hallucinations, emotional deadening, and eventually uncontrollable rage. These symptoms could vary, both visually and mechanically.
Perhaps at first, you mistake NPCs for threats. Later, your targeting system starts acting up. Eventually, in moments of stress, you lose control and lash out violently.
It would be even better if this decline was part of missions, where a job could go wrong because V’s “hand” pulled the trigger too early. If strange behavior shows up, a partner might distance themselves.
Opponents may see it and use it against you. These narrative beats could become some of the most emotionally gut-punching moments in the game.
How Should the World React to Cyberpsychosis?
Night City mentions cyberpsychosis in pieces like MaxTac lore and Regina’s side missions, but it does not clearly show how widespread and terrifying it really is.
click to enlarge + 4The sequel needs to turn it into a worldwide problem. News reports could cover the latest outbreaks. NPCs might tell horror stories, with gangs like Maelstrom praising the downfall, while others dread it.
Include side quests that let players see cyberpsychosis up close, and maybe even rescue someone close to losing themselves. It’s more than V losing control since it’s about a society about to fall, and anyone ready to lean in can do so.
Enable players to craft “chrome junkie” characters who willingly trade empathy for power, aware of the price they pay. Give them the tools to delay the collapse with drugs, therapy, and shady ripperdocs, but never let them forget the price. Cyberpsychosis should be a sword always hanging overhead.
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