Just like The Witcher 3 before it, CD Projekt Red’s latest RPG Cyberpunk 2077 is a vast open-world game with layers upon layers of depth. This hugely ambitious game is jam-packed with Easter eggs and allusions to not only the developer’s previous works but the recognizable films and games that inspired it.
It’s likely that fans of the game will continue to discover new things about the game long after its launch as they did in The Witcher series. However, even players that have only been playing the game for a few short hours have discovered some incredible Easter eggs already. Let’s take a look at the best that have been discovered so far.
10 The Three Sea Shells
In 1993, Demolition Man starring two of the world’s biggest action stars in Sylvester Stallone and Wesley Snipes has become of the most well-loved science fiction action movies of all time. The film took inspiration from iconic science fiction novels Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and H.G. Wells’ The Sleeper Awakes and makes several allusions to these stories throughout.
However, the biggest mystery that Sylvester Stallone’s protagonist encountered was how to use the Three Seashells when he needed to use the bathroom. Their use is never revealed in the film but their legacy continues on in V’s own apartment where he has a set of his own Seashells on display. Interestingly, this elusive form of bathroom etiquette was also referenced in 2000’s Deus Ex which is considered to be one of the greatest cyberpunk-set videogames of all time.
9 Roy Batty’s Memorial
When it comes to the Cyberpunk genre, there is nothing more iconic than Ridley Scott’s vision of Blade Runner the film based on Phillip K. Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? This dark vision of a dystopian Los Angeles became a cultural phenomenon and is the basis for every film, TV show, and game based in the genre.
One of the most iconic characters in the Blade Runner movie is the character Roy Batty played by the late Rutger Hauer. His final words in that film “All these moments will be lost time, like tears in rain” were some of the most memorable in cinema. There’s a plaque that can be found on the memorial building in Northoak that honors both the late actor and the character he made great with a symbolic image of a dove.
8 Misty And Blade Runner's Pris
In another fantastic reference to Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner, there’s a character called Misty in Cyberpunk 2077 that hugely resembles the fiercely loyal and dangerous android girlfriend of Roy Batty in the movie.
In Cyberpunk 2077, Misty owns the New Age shop called Misty Esoterica which can be found in the Night City’s Watson District. It’s also a front for the Ripperdoc business where V can purchase and install various cybernetic enhancements.
7 Roach Racing
Before Cyberpunk 2077’s incredible car models graced gamer’s screens CD Project Red already made gamers fall in love with The Witcher’s horse known as Roach. Although it’s unclear why the Witcher Geralt calls all his horses Roach as the affection and the bond he has for his steeds are undeniable.
One of the very first Easter Eggs players will encounter in the game is an arcade machine with the game Roach Race. There are also other references to Roach which can be found throughout the game, like the stickers which can be added in Cyberpunk’s Photo Mode.
6 The Photo Poses
In addition to the Roach’s appearance in Cyberpunk’s Photo Mode, there are several more Easter Eggs that can be found for players that like to play around with the game’s photography features. Each pose in the game has a name that alludes to lots of pop culture like the “Joker Stars” pose references the Joker movie starring Joaquin Phoenix.
Other notable poses are V for Victory which alludes to Dark Souls’ Praise the Sun pose, “V Shot First” references Han Solo in Star Wars: A New Hope, “You’re breathtaking” is a well-known Keanu Reeves quote, and much more.
5 Batty’s Hotel
As mentioned above, Roy Batty is the antagonist in Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner, there is already a plaque in memorial to the character that can be found in the game. However, the references to the iconic character didn't stop there as the Batty’s Hotel can be found in the Pacifica District.
Players will find this interesting location as they keep working through the main story. additionally, fans of Blade Runner will also notice that the sign even features an origami figure similar to one in the movie which contributed to a huge twist in the ending.
4 Ghost In The Shell
As one of the most recognizable anime series of all Ghost in the Shell is unsurprisingly one of the most influential in the cyberpunk genre too. The anime is often credited as being a major influence on The Matrix which also stars Keanu Reeves, James Cameron’s Avatar, Metal Gear Solid, Deus Ex, and of course Cyberpunk 2077.
One of the most obvious Easter eggs for fans of Ghost in the Shell comes from the technician Judy Alvarez and her calling icon which is literally a ghost in a shell.
3 Hideo Kojima Hanging Out At The Bar
Hideo Kojima is one of the most decorated video game developers in the industry with the likes of the Metal Gear series and the divisive but stunning open-world adventure game Death Stranding on his resume.
Fans of the developer’s work can encounter him in the eighth main mission quest named ‘The Heist’. Choosing the second option to look around and explore the bar after a short conversation with Jackie, players will notice Kojima conversing with friends and he seems to be portraying some kind of producer.
2 Death Stranding’s BB
The nod to Hideo Kojima’s body of work doesn’t end with an encounter at a hotel bar but also extends his most recent title Death Stranding too. To try and explain the concept and the plot of Kojima’s open-world adventure game would be impossible in a few short sentences but it’s definitely fair to say the game is unique in its themes.
One of the most unique characters in the game was the little BB which can be found in one of the Cyberpunk’s side quests that involve Detective River. A quick scan will reveal that the device “Maintains the life of the BB and detects BTS”.
1 The Shining’s 237
Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining which is based on the Stephen King novel of the same name is considered by many to be one of the greatest psychological and supernatural horror films of all time. One of the most memorable scenes in the movie is when the young Danny Torrance finds a dead woman in the bath in room 237.
In one of the game’s earlier missions, V and Jackie encounter a room marked room 1237 and in this room, there is a dead lady in a bath. Which is a less than subtle allusion to the classic horror movie.