It's safe to assume Xbox is teasing a limited edition Cyberpunk 2077 Xbox One and controller combo. | Source: Ina FASSBENDER / AFP)
Xbox is teasing some imminent Cyberpunk 2077 news.
First up, the official Xbox website appears to have been hacked . Upon visiting, the user encounters a brief dynamic overlay.
Code flies across the screen, warning messages flash, and something called “REZO AGWE LINK” installs before displaying a message reading “Return in 4 days.”
The user name in the top right also switches to an account called “Timmy Tom,” which is sporting a cartoon avatar of a slice of toast – whatever that means.
The style and font are reminiscent of similarly-themed marketing seen during the Cyberpunk 2077 presentations at E3 2019, notably used when Keanu Reeves was unveiled as character Johnny Silverhand.
Alongside this, the Xbox Twitter account has published an oblique tweet with a similar hacking theme .
A short loop plays below, showcasing failed attempts at accessing some form of server linked to Arasaka. The loop ends with the line:
sh.term.zz434r.arasaka.co – ! – confirmed.
Searching for “sh.term.zz434r.arasaka.co” as a URL produces a web page requesting a username. Despite my best efforts, I was unable to advance further, but we may be looking at an element of a Cyberpunk 2077 ARG (alternate reality game).
Rest assured that fans will “break the code” in the hours and days ahead.
Arasaka features in Cyberpunk 2077 as a mega-corporation with a hand in corporate security, banking, and manufacturing, playing a significant role in the world-building of the game.
Running with the Arasaka theme, the official Cyberpunk 2077 Twitter account tweeted the following yesterday :
Arasaka Corp. is a family firm from Japan. They’re known for providing corporate security, banking, and legal services. One of the most influential mega-corporations in 2077, their weapons and vehicles are among the most sought after by police and security forces.
Earlier today, the same account tweeted a repurposed version of the infamous Pulp Fiction John Travolta GIF with “Where’s Johnny?” bound to the background.
What’s the link between Johnny Silverhand and Arasaka?
Arasaka is responsible for his death . Out to exact revenge on the mega-corp after it kidnapped his erstwhile lover, an Arasaka henchman gunned down Silverhand while he infiltrated the company’s offices in Night City.
As a way to mourn his disappearance and to channel hope that he may still be alive, Night City’s inhabitants have taken to plastering the city with the “Where’s Johnny?” graffiti.
While these lore-rich references are all well and good, they don’t exactly tell us what is coming four days from now.
A leak (purposeful or accidental) on Amazon Canada for a Cyberpunk 2077-themed Xbox controller may shed some light, though. Amazon has since removed the listing.
Add to that a fleeting silhouette of an Xbox One and Xbox controller during the hacking sequence on the Xbox site, and it’s safe to assume Xbox is teasing a limited edition Cyberpunk 2077 Xbox One and controller combo.