Cyberpunk: Edgerunners protagonist has been referenced in-game for nearly two years

Cyberpunk 2077's spin-off anime show may be picking up steam as its September 2022 premiere looms, though a subtle nod to its protagonist has been laying low in the game since it launched in 2020.

A recent post from the official Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Twitter account has caught the eye of fans as it reveals that one of the show's protagonists is none other than David Martinez. The name bears some familiarity as the street kid has a drink named after him at the Afterlife bar, an honour reserved solely for Night City's most legendary figures. Naturally, CD Projekt Red and Cyberpunk 2077 quest director Pawel Sasko have been all too happy to egg everyone's imagination on.

The drink itself may even tease what's to come in the anime, with in-game text on the beverage saying, "aim high and go out with a bang". If you're curious, the drink is essentially vodka and coke on the rocks.  

Over on Twitter, CD Projekt Red calls David Martinez "a street kid from Santo Domingo raised with an Arasaka education". The developer adds that "personal tragedy leads him to installing a powerful implant that propels him into the dangerous world of cyberpunks". 

While the recent tweet put a name to a face, we first caught a glimpse of Martinez in a trailer at Netflix Geeked earlier this week. The one-minute teaser features clips of the street kid doing everyday Night City activities with an uncomfortable beeping noise that gives way to violent, action-filled scenes after Martinez and a stranger mysteriously appear on the moon.

The ten-episode series premieres on Netflix in September 2022.

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