Keanu Reeves denies ever playing Cyberpunk, contrary to CD Projekt claims

Cyberpunk 2077 actor Keanu Reeves has denied ever playing the game in statements that contradict earlier claims by its publisher CD Projekt.

During an earnings call last November, shortly before Cyberpunk 2077’s delayed release, CD Projekt president and joint-CEO Adam Kiciński was asked what Reeves thought of the upcoming title.

“He played the game”, Kiciński said (transcribed by Seeking Alpha). “But as far as I know haven’t finished yet. So — but definitely, he played the game and he loves it.”

But that’s not the case, according to Reeves, who portrayed “legendary rockerboy” Johnny Silverhand in Cyberpunk 2077.

In a new Verge interview focused on Epic Games’ Unreal Engine 5 demo The Matrix Awakens, Reeves was asked if he plays video games.

“No,” he replied.

“Really, even Cyberpunk?” came the follow-up.

“No, I mean I’ve seen demonstrations, but I’ve never played it,” the actor responded.

Reeves’ comments are likely to cause embarrassment for CD Projekt and could even have more serious consequences, given that they come less than a week after the company confirmed it had entered settlement negotiations with a group of shareholders who sued the company for allegedly misleading investors over the quality of the game.

Following three delays, the highly anticipated RPG released in December 2020 with a host of technical problems, resulting in refunds being offered, the title being pulled from the PlayStation Store and CD Projekt shares tumbling.

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After the botched launch, a number of CD Projekt shareholders in the US filed class action lawsuits accusing the company of violating federal laws by misleading investors over the state of the game, causing them to incur damages.

Discussing the settlement talks in a regulatory filing earlier this month, CD Projekt said: “It should also be noted that entering into negotiations concerning a potential settlement should in no way be construed as acceptance by the Company or members of its Management Board of any allegations expressed in the plaintiffs’ court filings.”

The company recently delayed the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions of Cyberpunk 2077 from this year to the first quarter of 2022. When they’re released, they will be available as a free next-gen upgrade for players who own the current-gen editions.