From Player to Posthuman: Subjectivity and Meaning-Making in Cyberpunk 2077

Abstract

This paper proposes a posthuman approach to the player-avatar relationship in Cyberpunk 2077. Traditional views often see the in-game avatar as a mere prosthetic extension of the player, assuming a stable, unaffected sense of self. However, recent scholarship challenges this notion. Drawing on Poppy Wilde's concept of the “posthuman gamer,” this research argues that the player's interaction with the game is a mutually constructive exchange. Cyberpunk 2077 facilitates this through its protagonist, V, a semi-defined character whose identity is co-constructed by the player's choices. This choice-making blurs the lines between player and avatar, creating a continuous negotiation of identity. Ultimately, this paper analyzes how the game forges a posthuman embodied experience that actively involves the player's real-world identity in shaping the protagonist.