Cyberpunk 2077 lead writer says the RPG's main antagonist isn't Arasaka or Adam Smasher, it's Night City itself: "It's Night City versus everyone else, even the big guys"

Cyberpunk 2077's lead writer has explained who the true antagonist of the game is, and even with the likes of Adam Smasher or the Arasaka Corporation, it's Night City itself that takes the crown.

It's hard to believe that it's been five years since Cyberpunk 2077 was released after years of anticipation. And sure, it was a total mess that was released in such a state on consoles that it had to be pulled from storefronts, but it eventually became one of the best RPGs of the modern era thanks to a string of updates to turn things around. But one undeniable aspect of the game is how engrossing Night City is as a place to explore, and it sounds like that was very much intentional.

"Quite quickly, during pre-production of Cyberpunk 2077, we realized that Night City is going to be our main antagonist," says Cyberpunk 2077's lead writer, Tomasz Marchewka, speaking to GamesRadar+. "Some people [players] caught it quite quickly."

Obviously, V runs afoul of multiple people and groups over the course of Cyberpunk 2077's story, but the city itself takes no sides and takes no prisoners. "Of course, we've got Arasaka, we've got Adam Smasher and all the other guys, but actually it's Night City versus everyone else, even the big guys." Marchewka adds. "That's a cool concept to make the city the main antagonist."

While obviously the regular person is going to face the harsh realities of the city more than the corporations, it is a universal truth of the world that you aren't getting out unscathed, so I absolutely get what CD Projekt was going for.

Look back at the The Making of Cyberpunk 2077's metro system.