The legacy of any great game includes honest, critical reflection. In the five-year retrospect on the landmark 2020 title Cyberpunk 2077, a recurring piece of feedback from players has centered on one highly publicized but arguably superficial feature: genitalia customization. Hailed as bold and boundary-pushing upon its pre-launch marketing blitz, the execution now feels, to many in the community, like a classic case of style over substance—a buzz-generating gimmick that ultimately delivered more smoke than fire. Post-launch analysis and player sentiment consistently point to a feature that, rather than serving the narrative or deepening immersion, served primarily as a source of controversy and distraction.
The heart of the issue lies in its implementation. The visual customization of a character's private anatomy was a major talking point. Players could, technically, create a unique combination in the character creator, a feature that rocked the boat in mainstream gaming at the time. However, this seemingly progressive step was immediately undercut by the game's underlying binary framework.
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The Core Contradiction: The player's selection of visible genitalia was entirely cosmetic and functionally irrelevant. It was rendered invisible during all combat, driving, and narrative sequences due to the game's strict first-person perspective. The only consistent identifier for the character's gender was the pre-set selection of pronouns (strictly he/him or she/her), which was permanently locked to the chosen voice actor at the start of the game.
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A Classic Gamer's Dilemma: This created a jarring disconnect. A player could create a character with one physical presentation but have them referred to with pronouns and a voice that didn't align, not because of complex non-binary storytelling, but because the two systems—visual body and vocal identity—were completely decoupled. The feature screamed 'Look at me!' but then had nothing meaningful to say. Folks were left scratching their heads, thinking, 'All sizzle and no steak.'
Considering the highly mature and visceral world of Cyberpunk 2077, this focus on anatomical shock value often overshadowed more meaningful content. The game's brutal violence and sexual themes were central to its gritty, dystopian tone. 
Visual shock was a cornerstone of the game's aesthetic, from its weaponry to its cityscapes. Yet, in a world filled with genuine, impactful transgressive moments—cybernetic dismemberment, morally fraught choices, and intense character relationships—the 'customizable genitals' checkbox felt oddly juvenile, a box being ticked for marketing clout rather than artistic integrity.
As the industry has progressed toward 2026, this critique offers a vital lesson for developers of the upcoming Cyberpunk sequel. The core of the first game's strength was its world-building, characters like Johnny Silverhand, and the desperate, high-stakes narrative. The consensus is clear: shock for shock's sake is a surefire way to dilute an experience.
Key Learnings for the Future
For the next iteration to truly hit the mark, developers would be wise to integrate identity and customization into the game's living, breathing world, making meaningful changes that players can feel.
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Integrate, Don't Isolate: If a sequel includes gender and body customization, its choices should reverberate through the narrative. How do NPCs react to a non-binary or transhuman presentation in Night City? Does it affect dialogue, faction reputation, or access to certain quests? These systems must talk to each other.
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Ditch the Binary: The gaming audience and tech capabilities in 2026 have evolved. A robust pronoun/voice selector, decoupled from a strict masculine/feminine binary, is no longer a moon shot; it's a baseline expectation for an RPG aiming to provide true role-playing freedom.
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Prioritize Gameplay Over Gawk-Factor: A 'cool feature' is only cool if it's used. A character's physical identity should be visible in ways that reinforce player connection—in third-person cutscenes, reflection mechanics, or specific narrative moments. It shouldn't be a one-and-done menu gimmick.
In practice, this shift in focus would look something like this in a new game:
| Feature in Cyberpunk 2077 | Potential Evolution for the Sequel |
|---|---|
| Purely cosmetic genitalia selection | Body type and presentation influence specific character interactions or world reactivity. |
| Binary pronoun/voice lock | A spectrum of voice options and pronoun selections (they/them, neopronouns, etc.). |
| First-person-only, no visible body | Strategic use of third-person moments, mirrors, and photomode to make the custom avatar 'real'. |
| Shock-value marketing focus | Marketing that highlights deep, integrated role-playing systems. |
The bottom line? The original game promised players the ability to be whoever they wanted in Night City, a place where you can 'live on the edge'. But for many, the identity-crafting tools felt less like keys to the city and more like a flimsy plastic badge. The hope for 2026 and beyond is that the sequel will build a world where every custom feature, from your chrome to your character's identity, is not just seen but lived. That's how you create a legacy with real bite.