Cyberpunk 2077 will get an in-game warning and 'permanent solution' for seizure triggers
A day after a report about possible seizure triggers in the game, CD Projekt said that it's 'exploring' solutions.
Update: In response to a Game Informer report about the presence of possible seizure triggers in Cyberpunk 2077, CD Projekt has said that it will add a separate warning about the sequence in the game and is looking into "a more permanent solution" to the problem.
The studio didn't say anything about what those solutions might be—removing the segment, adding a toggle toggle to disable it, or something else entirely—nor did it address questions about how the sequence came to be in the game in the first place. A studio rep declined to comment on the matter further, but promised that more information will be announced "the moment we have more details."
Thank you for bringing this up. We’re working on adding a separate warning in the game, aside from the one that exists in the EULA (https://t.co/eXpPn73VSK). Regarding a more permanent solution, Dev team is currently exploring that and will be implementing it as soon as possible. https://t.co/lXFypnSit2December 8, 2020
Original story:
Cyberpunk 2077 contains certain visuals and patterns that can cause problems for people with epilepsy. Game Informer's Liana Ruppert has been playing and ended up writing a Cyberpunk 2077 Epileptic PSA about why she "suffered one major seizure and felt several moments where I was close to another one" during the game.
One aspect of the game that seems to be a particular problem is the Brain Dance sequences, which are similar to the IPS tests used to diagnose epilepsy. This was what triggered Ruppert's seizure. "The headset fits over both eyes and features a rapid onslaught of white and red blinking LEDs, much like the actual device neurologists use in real life to trigger a seizure when they need to trigger one for diagnosis purposes. If not modelled off of the IRL design, it's a very spot-on coincidence, and because of that this is one aspect that I would personally advise you to avoid altogether. When you notice the headset come into play, look away completely or close your eyes. This is a pattern of lights designed to trigger an epileptic episode and it very much did that in my own personal playthrough."
Ruppert's post details what triggered her seizure, parts of the game epileptic people might want to be wary of, and how she tweaked options to lessen certain stimuli. It's essential reading for anyone who might have similar issues.
We've contacted CD Projekt Red for comment, and will update with any response.
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Rich is a games journalist with 15 years' experience, beginning his career on Edge magazine before working for a wide range of outlets, including Ars Technica, Eurogamer, GamesRadar+, Gamespot, the Guardian, IGN, the New Statesman, Polygon, and Vice. He was the editor of Kotaku UK, the UK arm of Kotaku, for three years before joining PC Gamer. He is the author of a Brief History of Video Games, a full history of the medium, which the Midwest Book Review described as "[a] must-read for serious minded game historians and curious video game connoisseurs alike."