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British charity Epilepsy Action has called for an urgent update to Cyberpunk 2077 in response to a warning that the game could be a trigger for people with epilepsy.
CD Projekt Red’s upcoming RPG was rated yesterday as a potential epilepsy risk in a high-profile PSA article published by Game Informer based on a pre-release copy of the game.
The reviewer for that website, who had previously experienced epileptic seizures while playing other video games, said that the clubs and bars in Cyberpunk 2077 were “danger zones,” and that a flickering “glitch” effect around Keanu Reeves’ character Johnny Silverhand was something to watch out for.
A specific warning was then issued for the sequence players see when entering a Braindance, a recording of a memory, where your character dons a visor that quickly displays a sequence of glowing lights in your eyes for about five seconds.
The footage of that sequence can be found below, taken from Eurogamer’s own game. We will not include video of the effect, for obvious reasons.
Today, in response to the Game Informer article, the Epilepsy Action charity has released a statement asking CD Projekt Red to update Cyberpunk 2077 as soon as possible.
“We are alarmed and saddened that a game critic had an attack triggered by Cyperpunk 2077, even before it was released,” said Epilepsy Action spokeswoman Louise Cousins. “The game features rapidly blinking lights and other animations that could cause seizures in people with photosensitive epilepsy. These features are not safe and should have been avoided to make the game more accessible. With high demand and excitement for its release, it may pose a serious risk to people with photosensitive epilepsy. CD Projekt RED developers should consider how they can update the game to make it more secure. A disclaimer warning at the beginning is not enough.
“87 people are diagnosed with epilepsy every day, and their first seizure can often come out of nowhere. Many people living with epilepsy can struggle for many years to control seizures, and it is devastating to have a breakthrough seizure. Seizures can causing injury and impact on things like driving, employment and education. At worst, they can be fatal. For more information visit epilepsy.org.uk/info/photosensitive-epilepsy. “
Eurogamer has contacted CD Projekt Red for comment.
Video games have long been associated with a risk of epileptic seizures, and some games and consoles (but not all) include a photosensitivity warning when launched. There is no such warning on PC, of course, and PC copies of Cyberpunk 2077, such as those used to review the game, currently do not include an epilepsy-specific warning at startup.
Here in the UK, around 600,000 people live with epilepsy, around one in 100 of the total population. About half of them are described by Epilepsy Action as “seizure free”. About three percent of epilepsy cases involve photosensitive epilepsy, which causes seizures triggered by flashing or flashing lights, or some patterns.
Cyberpunk 2077 will launch globally this Thursday, December 10.
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