For fans eagerly awaiting Cyberpunk 2077‘s release next year, a new version of the game’s tabletop prequel is coming soon that may make the wait more bearable. Called Cyberpunk Red, this new edition looks to simplify the world’s lore for any newcomers looking to come into the series.
As some players may already know, Cyberpunk 2077 is based on on Mike Pondsmiths’ Cyberpunk 2020 tabletop game. Now, with the impending release of that game, Pondsmith is looking to use Cyberpunk Red to consolidate years of series lore to help any newcomers get into the franchise as a whole.
The Jumpstart Kit for Cyberpunk Red launches on August 1, 2019 at Gen Con 2019 in Indianapolis, with a digital version being made available through DriveThruRPG on the same day. Physical copies of Cyberpunk Red will eventually be available at a later date through the R. Talsorian online store. The starter kit comes with a set of custom dice, six customizable characters, four physical maps, a new adventure scenario, and the updated lorebook.
With this release date in mind, Cyberpunk Red represents an opportunity for people to get a first taste of the universe Pondsmith has created before Cyberpunk 2077 is released.
Of course, fans can still purchase the original Cyberpunk 2020. However, Polygon reports that physical copies of the game are currently out of stock, with digital sales being fans only option as of now. Additionally, the original’s lore may not be as easy to get into as without Mike Pondsmith’s updates in Cyberpunk Red, and it might not tie into Cyberpunk 2077 as cleanly either.
Tabletop RPGs such as the original Cyberpunk 2020 provided much of the foundation on which modern RPG video games are built on. As such, it’s nice to see this kind of synergy between CD Projekt RED’s upcoming video game and the tabletop RPG that it’s based on.
