More about Keanu Reeves in the game industry: Johnny Silverhand creation and legitimizing of the games

It’s hard not to have heard that Keanu Reeves will play a character in Cyberpunk 2077 if you paid attention to E3 or at least are interested in the game. CD Projekt RED talked about the part of game creation process, evolving the Hollywood star.

Keanu Reeves As Johnny Silverhand

CD Projekt RED’s Lead Quest Designer, Paweł Sasko, has revealed that Cyberpunk 2077 developers initially shot down the idea of evolving Keanu Reeves into the process, because they thought it would be “impossible” to get the actor on board. However, Reeves not only have picked his character quickly, during the whole work, he was suggesting changes, trying to improve the character. Destiny 2 Carry in Season of the Splicer is hard but rewarding.

“When we started recording Keanu, he was getting into the character and we’re like, ‘Wow, okay, he’s already picking it up.’ And he was actually interested in how it works out. [Keanu is] not really a guy that is a gamer, but he’s actually really interested in games. And he’s super clever and very open. He’s very humble.

And then we gave him lines, and our adaptation director introduced him to the scene, explaining what happens like the director for a movie. Keanu started acting and said, ‘I would like to suggest this thing or that thing, or I would actually play it like this or that.’ And he’s also the guy who can take feedback very well, you know, I think he’s used to it, being directed, but also trying to look for his own vision for the character. And very, very often he was suggesting, ‘Okay, yeah we should change this because that sounds more natural, that will be better,’ and so on. And so he was a really good asset in the team.”

Games’ Legitimizing

To other news about Keanu Reeves in the game industry: the actor made a statement gaming doesn’t need legitimizing. BBC Newsbeat spoke to Reeves about his part in Cyperpunk 2077. He was asked whether appearances like these help legitimize the medium when high-profile actors get involved. Reeves paused and then was asked if games need legitimizing at all, to which he said that he doesn’t think so.

“I mean, I would go with that thread,” Reeves said. “Yeah, I don’t think they need legitimizing.”

Reeves continued to say that games had actually had an impact on the movie industry.

“If anything I’d say it’s gone the other way,” he continued. “It’s more of the influence gaming’s had on … let’s call it Hollywood. Certainly with the Marvel Universe, right? But then gaming probably started in the beginning with Hollywood. I think these technologies have been talking to each other.”

You probably will hear more from movie and now game star Keanu Reeves, when the Cyberpunk 2077 releases on April 16, 2020. So, if you have some questions, stay tuned.