CD Projekt Red is preparing to release Cyberpunk 2077 soon, and Adidas is hoping to get in on the action with a pair of sneakers that tie into the highly-anticipated game. However, while some fans have expressed excitement over the shoes, many others are not impressed.
Adidas has yet to officially announce the Cyberpunk 2077 sneakers, but a popular Instagram shoe collector and self-described "sneaker sample specialist" named solebyjc unveiled the pair on social media. The shoes are the not the first real-life clothing products to tie in with the game. Cyberpunk-inspired clothing is already available on the web, and one costume designer created a jacket inspired Cyberpunk 2077.
The Adidas X9000L4 Boost Cyberpunk 2077 running shoes are accented with purple and gold tones, and feature bright yellow Cyberpunk lettering on the sides. With its eye-grabbing colors and animal-print pattern, the design takes obvious influence from the neo-kitsch style that is worn by high-class inhabitants of Cyberpunk 2077’s Night City. But while the shoes would probably look great in the extremely-stylized world of Cyberpunk 2077, how they look in real life is more questionable.
Many fans on Instagram and Twitter took issue with the flashy design, with some flat-out calling them unattractive. One Twitter user said the shoes were “unpleasant looking." Others expressed annoyance that Cyberpunk is being used to brand non-gaming products, as CD Prokjekt Red is also tying the game to energy drinks. A few people went so far as to say that using Cyberpunk 2077 to brand non-gaming products goes against the anti-corporate philosophy of the genre.
However, others have praised the shoes for using the same style that has been shown off in multiple Cyberpunk 2077 trailers. Some said they planned on ordering the shoes as soon as they were made available.
The Cyberpunk sneakers are not Adidas’ first foray into using pop culture trends to brand their products. Last year, the company released a pair of Star War shoes. Adidas has also partnered with popular Twitch Streamer Ninja to create multiple pairs of jogging shoes, most of which have sold out fast.
How people respond to the aesthetic design of clothing – especially shoes – is completely subjective. What one fan may love, another may find completely unattractive. That is one of the reasons why CD Projekt Red is looking to give fans freedom over how they choose to customize their main character, V, in Cyberpunk 2077.
Fans who do want a pair will have to wait and see when they release, and how much they will cost, as Adidas has yet to officially announce the shoes.
Cyberpunk 2077 releases November 19 for PC, Xbox One and PS4. Both console versions will be backwards compatible for next-gen consoles.