Fans of CD Projekt Red know that it makes mature games. The Witcher franchise is filled with exaggerated violence, for example, and it also has sexual content including a certain now-infamous unicorn scene. It seems Cyberpunk 2077 plans to utilize these mature visuals in certain significant ways as well, but CD Projekt Red is also understanding with regards to some players not wanting to see/experience these scenarios. As such, Cyberpunk 2077 is now confirmed to feature a censored mode.
In a Twitter conversation, CD Projekt Red QA lead Łukasz Babiel was asked by a random follower about the possibility of an option to censor the game. Specifically, they ask if there's a setting in Cyberpunk 2077 that turns off nudity. Babiel replies with a straightforward "Yes." A follow-up question and response also confirms that the option will be available both on the PC version of Cyberpunk 2077 as well as the console versions of the game.
No explanation for the decision was provided by either Babiel or CD Projekt Red, not that it's needed. Accessibility options including the ability to censor either violence or nudity are increasingly welcome in major game releases anymore. Plus, CD Projekt Red probably had to censor these things anyway to launch Cyberpunk 2077 in certain regions due to regulatory expectations, so an option for all makes it much simpler. Nevertheless, there are likely to be those who believe it's contrary to the intent of the game's design.
Nudity wasn't widespread in The Witcher 3, to be clear. There was a brothel with a significant amount of nudity, as well as several of Geralt's sexual encounters. They could be almost entirely avoided or skipped by the player, however, yet it seems unlikely that's the case with Cyberpunk 2077. There are already clear examples of sexual imagery used in in-universe advertisements, suggesting there will be sexual imagery throughout the game, even outside of the player's direct choices and actions.
By all accounts, the player's choices and actions in Cyberpunk 2077 will lead to partial nudity as well. CD Projekt Red has confirmed that there will be sex scenes in the game, portrayed in first-person. CD Projekt Red also said players will be able to customize breasts, buttocks, and genitalia.
Suffice to say, the option to switch off nudity will be much more important in Cyberpunk 2077 than it would have been in The Witcher 3. But it will also have a much bigger impact on the player's experience. Night City is exploitative in dramatic ways, including of sexuality. While that's still likely to be clear without nudity, it may not be so in the same way. For better or worse, CD Projekt Red trusts players to make that decision for themselves.
Cyberpunk 2077 releases December 10 on PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.