CD Projekt Apologizes for In-Game Content in Cyberpunk 2077’s Ukrainian Version

CD Projekt, the renowned game developer, has publicly apologized for certain in-game dialogue and graffiti in the Ukrainian version of their hit game, Cyberpunk 2077. The content in question has been perceived as critical of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The company has pledged to address these issues in an upcoming update, saying on VK and Telegram:

CD Projekt Red’s VK and Telegram post.

CD Projekt Red, in their post on VK and Telegram, acknowledged the issues with the Ukrainian localization of Cyberpunk 2077. They stated that the remarks offensive to Russian players were not authored by their employees and do not reflect their views. The company is committed to rectifying and replacing the problematic content in the next game update. They expressed their apologies for the situation and assured fans that measures will be taken to prevent its recurrence.

Unique Commentary in the Ukrainian Localization of Cyberpunk 2077

The Ukrainian localization of Cyberpunk 2077, introduced with the significant 2.0 update, went beyond linguistic changes. It included references to the Russian-Ukrainian conflict that sparked controversy. Zone of Games and Rock, Paper, Shotgun reported that a line of police dialogue was altered to incorporate the term ‘Rusnia,’ a Ukrainian term with derogatory implications towards Russians. The changed dialogue references the Badlands and states, “Couldn’t all this ‘rusnia’ bite it out in the Badlands?”

The Ukrainian language is coming to Night City! We’re happy to announce that Ukrainian text localization will launch for the whole game alongside Phantom Liberty.
We’re sincerely proud of the results and hope our Ukrainian-speaking players will enjoy it!https://t.co/vKf2l82NWx
— Cyberpunk 2077 (@CyberpunkGame) June 11, 2023

CD Projekt Red first added Cyberpunk 2077’s Ukrainian localization with the Phantom Liberty expansion.

Moreover, another dialogue in the game indirectly references Ukraine’s defiant response to Russia’s demand regarding Snake Island. Additionally, the game features graffiti combining the Ukrainian coat of arms with a symbol of the Crimean Tatars, displayed on a map of Crimea.

CD Projekt’s Response and Responsibility

Despite their prior support for Ukraine, including a generous donation and halting game sales in Russia and Belarus, CD Projekt distanced themselves from the controversial in-game changes. On Russian social platforms VK and Telegram, the company clarified that the remarks in the Ukrainian version were not authored by their employees and do not represent their views. They assured players that the content will be rectified and replaced in the upcoming update. CD Projekt expressed their apologies for the situation and emphasized their commitment to preventing similar occurrences.

The Ukrainian adaptation of Cyberpunk 2077 was performed by SBT Localization, a renowned Ukrainian firm known for their work on Baldur’s Gate 3 and Darkest Dungeon. The changes in the game have sparked debates among Russian and Ukrainian players on platforms like Steam and the CD Projekt forums. Some players have criticized the content as “incitement” and accused CD Projekt of having an anti-Russian bias. Calls to ban all games from Poland have also emerged. While CD Projekt has refrained from further comments on the controversy, efforts to obtain insights from SBT Localization are ongoing, and updates will be provided accordingly.