Cyberpunk 2077 deliberately takes away some of the player’s control over V’s behaviour to communicate the effects of Johnny Silverhand’s growing influence. Quest lead Paweł Sasko has explained that this loss of control is supposed to make players uncomfortable, as it reflects the game’s central themes of identity, illness, and the struggle to retain control over one’s body.
The discussion began after a player noticed a subtle detail involving V’s attitude towards smoking. Although V can explicitly tell Johnny that they do not smoke, the protagonist can later be seen smoking as Johnny’s personality increasingly blends with their own. Sasko confirmed that this was an intentional storytelling decision by CD Projekt Red.
According to GamesRadar+, Sasko praised the player’s observation and explained that the developers wanted to communicate Johnny’s influence through small behavioural changes rather than relying entirely on major story events.
Why CD Projekt Red Makes V Adopt Johnny Silverhand’s Habits
Sasko explained that the smoking detail represents how Johnny’s personality gradually merges with V’s consciousness. Their relationship begins with Johnny attempting to kill V, but their shared circumstances eventually develop into a complicated connection involving empathy and regret.
The developer also addressed criticism from players who believe an RPG should allow them complete control over their protagonist. However, CD Projekt Red deliberately challenges that expectation through V’s changing behaviour.
“But that was the point, it was meant to feel a little uncomfortable, what is happening to you,”
Sasko explained.
V’s Loss of Control Reflects Cyberpunk 2077’s Central Theme
For Sasko, this design choice goes beyond showing Johnny’s influence. It connects directly to V’s struggle with the Relic and the threat it poses to their life. The protagonist is not voluntarily changing their habits or personality. Instead, their body and consciousness are gradually being affected by another person’s memories and identity.
Sasko explained the thinking behind this approach:
“The game deals with terminal illness, it’s not a voluntary state, we are using RPG game mechanics to illustrate it.”
This also explains why the developers do not always let players shape V according to their preferred character interpretation. While dialogue choices and role-playing options remain important, certain changes are necessary to communicate the consequences of the Relic.
The smoking detail is a small example of how Cyberpunk 2077 uses gameplay and character behaviour to reinforce its narrative. Rather than simply telling players that Johnny is taking over, CD Projekt Red lets them notice the changes themselves.
