CD Projekt Red has banned a mod for their game Cyberpunk 2077. With the mod, players could engage in something similar to sex with Johnny Silverhand. He is the character portrayed by Hollywood star Keanu Reeves. The company states: Players can have fun with fictional characters, but it is different with real people.
This was the mod: Sex mods in games have been known since the legendary ‘Hot Coffee’ mod from Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas in 2004. It unlocked scenes that were already in the game. The mod for Cyberpunk 2077 in question was merely a “Model Swap” and was distributed on “Nexus Mods” by a modder named Catmino.
The mod swaps the skin of the “Joytoy” prostitutes in the game with skins of the main characters: Players could engage in virtual sex with Johnny Silverhand, the character portrayed by Keanu Reeves (John Wick, Matrix).
This was a rather odd situation. No animations or voices were adjusted; it was simply an inappropriate skin over the character. The US site Kotaku writes: “That was more rough work” that was done on the mod.
The crucial segment of the video starts at 2:41 and shows the mod in action:
We kindly ask you to refrain from …
This is now the ban: CD Projekt Red has closed this specific mod and provided a statement to PC Gamer explaining why they did it:
“Our most important rule regarding user-generated content, especially game mods, is: It must not harm others.
Model swaps can be seen as harmful, especially when it comes to explicit situations, particularly when it involves people who have allowed us to use their likeness to create characters in Cyberpunk 2077.
When creators make their fan content, they should ensure they have the permission of all parties involved. There may be more than just us at CD Projekt Red.
For characters that we have created for Cyberpunk 2077, we generally allow you to modify the game and have fun. However, when it comes to models based on real people who we have invited to be included, we kindly ask you to refrain from putting them in situations that could be seen as offensive. Unless you have their explicit permission for that.”
The modder should have asked Keanu Reeves beforehand if it was okay for him to be placed over the face of a sex worker.
As with many major games, part of the player base in Cyberpunk 2077 likely has a desire to get closer to the main characters. Those familiar with this kind of thing anticipated that Cyberpunk 2077 would evoke such desires:
Porn parodies of Cyberpunk 2077 are released before the game – developers take it with humor
