Surprising Confession from Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Writer Bartosz Sztybor: "We Planned a Worse Ending"
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners took both the anime world and the gaming community by storm when it was released in 2022. In a recent interview, the series' narrative director and writer Bartosz Sztybor revealed that the story of David Martinez and Lucy could have ended in a much darker way. According to Sztybor, the famous finale that broke fans' hearts was not even the most tragic option on the table.
In an interview with Anime Corner, Sztybor spoke about an alternative ending discussed during development, which he described as a "fate worse than death." In this scenario, David would not have died completely; instead, he would have been captured by Arasaka and turned into a soulless combat robot. "We had an option where David would lose his personality entirely and be used as a tool in corporate wars," Sztybor said, once again highlighting the ruthlessness of Night City.
Touching upon the collaboration with Studio Trigger, Sztybor noted that the studio's unique, energetic style created a perfect contrast with the world of Cyberpunk 2077. Stating that director Hiroyuki Imaishi and his team turned CD Projekt Red's deep and gritty storytelling into a visual feast, the writer expressed that the success of this partnership was rooted in mutual creative freedom. Trigger's colorful palette made the story's tragic ending even more striking for the audience.
This collaboration bore significant fruit; Cyberpunk: Edgerunners achieved great success by being named "Anime of the Year" at the 2023 Crunchyroll Anime Awards. Furthermore, at the time of its release, the anime led a rare renaissance in the gaming world, pushing the daily player count of Cyberpunk 2077 to over 1 million. The game, which topped Steam sales charts, was practically reborn thanks to the anime.
As for the future, there is news that will excite fans. Netflix and CD Projekt Red officially confirmed in their September 2024 announcement that they are working on a new animation project set in the Cyberpunk universe. While it is not yet known whether the story of David and Lucy will continue, it is certain that we will return to the dark streets of Night City. These latest statements from Sztybor have already been enough to make fans curious about what kind of tragedies await them in the new project.
