Why Cyberpunk's First-Person View Changed Everything for Me
Cyberpunk 2077's iconic first-person perspective captures Night City's breathtaking scale and cinematic dialogues, making it essential for the sequel.
You know what? When I first booted up Cyberpunk 2077 back in 2020, I honestly didn't know what to expect. The game was a mess – crashes on my console, bugs everywhere, and don't even get me started on those lifeless NPCs wandering around like zombies 😅. The skill tree felt half-baked, crafting was confusing AF, and most of those gorgeous buildings? Just pretty facades I couldn't even enter. But here's the thing that absolutely blew my mind and kept me coming back: that first-person perspective.

The Perspective That Defined Night City
So apparently, CD Projekt Red recently dropped a bombshell during an investor Q&A – they're not sure if the sequel (codenamed Orion, how cool is that?) will stick with first-person! Quest director Paweł Sasko said they "have yet to see" whether they'll keep this defining feature. And honestly? That news hit me harder than I expected.
Sasko explained it perfectly: "The first-person perspective is the main characteristic for Cyberpunk. What we wanted to do was for Cyberpunk to have its own identity and to be noticeable as this different thing." And you know what? He's absolutely right ✨.
Why First-Person Just Works for This Game
Let me tell you – I sank hundreds of hours into The Witcher 3 (amazing game, don't get me wrong), but when I was exploring Night City, I wasn't thinking about Geralt at all. The first-person view created this completely separate identity that made Cyberpunk feel like its own unique beast.
The Magic of Those Dialogue Scenes
Okay, can we talk about the dialogue scenes for a second? Because this is where Cyberpunk 2077 absolutely crushes it. Like, better than virtually any other game I've played. The lighting? Chef's kiss 👨🍳💋. The character models? Absolutely gorgeous and so expressive. And those environments – every single detail matters.

When I'm having a conversation in this game, I literally just sit there and drink it all in:
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The random knick-knacks scattered over someone's shoulder
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The way neon light plays across their face and metal implants 💫
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The overall shot composition that brings everything together into one cohesive, cinematic image
It's breathtaking. And switching to third-person? That would totally mess with this magic. Would we really want to give that up?
Looking Up at the Sky Changed Everything
Here's something I didn't expect to love so much: the sense of scale. Have you ever stood at the bottom of a real-world skyscraper and looked straight up? That slight vertigo, that feeling of being absolutely tiny? Cyberpunk nails that feeling in first-person.
When I'm walking down the street and I tilt my view upward, those megabuildings stretching into the sky make me feel exactly like I would in real life – small, overwhelmed, and completely in awe. The game demands you look up at those structures scraping the sky to get the full Night City experience 🌃.
Third-person games usually angle the camera slightly downward instead of up. It's just harder to look straight up when you're seeing your character from behind. And honestly? That would kill one of Cyberpunk's most powerful atmospheric elements.

But What About the Downsides?
Look, I'm not gonna pretend first-person is perfect for everything. There are definitely some trade-offs:
Things that would work better in third-person:
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Seeing my character's outfit at all times (instead of checking menus or finding mirrors)
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Melee combat with better spatial awareness
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Parkour and movement mechanics
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Platforming sections
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Climbing sequences
During my Phantom Liberty playthrough, I specced hard into this super kinetic build – double jump, dash ability, katana on my hip – and you know what? It was incredible even in first-person. So while I wouldn't mind CDPR leaning more into acrobatic gameplay, the current perspective already handles it surprisingly well 🗡️.
What This Uncertainty Really Means
Here's the thing that my fellow gamers have been pointing out: the fact that CDPR can't commit to a perspective probably means Orion is really early in development. Like, we're talking years away, folks.
The Possible Outcomes:
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Stick with first-person (my personal hope 🤞)
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Switch entirely to third-person
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Pull a Bethesda and let us swap between both perspectives
That third option could be interesting, right? Best of both worlds? But I worry it might dilute what makes Cyberpunk special. There's something to be said for committing to a vision.
The Bigger Picture
You know what's fascinating about this whole discussion? It suggests that maybe – just maybe – CDPR is considering making Orion less shooting-focused. Third-person would open up so many possibilities for different gameplay styles:
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More complex melee combat systems
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Deeper parkour mechanics
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Enhanced climbing and exploration
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Stealth gameplay with better spatial awareness
But here's my question: Do we really need that? Phantom Liberty already proved they can nail movement-focused gameplay in first-person. The foundation is solid. Why mess with what works? 🤔
My Final Thoughts
I've been thinking about this a lot since the news dropped. On one hand, I totally get the appeal of seeing my chrome-covered character in all their glory while I play. On the other hand, losing those incredible dialogue moments and that visceral sense of scale would be such a massive sacrifice.
The first-person perspective isn't just a feature – it's the soul of what makes Cyberpunk 2077 feel different from everything else out there. It's what separated my Night City adventures from my time with Geralt. It's what makes those quiet moments in conversation feel so intimate and cinematic. It's what makes looking up at those megabuildings feel genuinely awe-inspiring.
Real talk: We probably won't know for sure for another four or five years. CDPR clearly has a lot of work ahead of them, and I respect that they're taking the time to figure out what's best for the game. But if they're reading this (hey CDPR! 👋), please consider keeping what made the first game special while you're innovating.
Cyberpunk 2077 had a rough start, no doubt about it. But CD Projekt Red proved they could save it, polish it, and turn it into something genuinely special. The Phantom Liberty expansion showed us what this game could be when everything clicks. And that first-person perspective? It was clicking hard.
Whatever they decide for Orion, I just hope they remember what made wandering through Night City feel so unique in the first place. Because for me? It wasn't just about the destination – it was about seeing that neon-soaked world through my own eyes ✨🌆.
What do you think? Would you want Cyberpunk's sequel to stay first-person, or are you team third-person? Let me know your thoughts!