In a newly unveiled biography by Walter Isaacson, Elon Musk, readers are taken on a wild journey detailing a demand by Musk: a cameo appearance in Cyberpunk 2077.
What’s curious is that this demand wasn’t made through an official channel or a formal request. Instead, it came to life when Musk made an unplanned entrance into a recording studio where Grimes, his former partner and the mother of three of his children, was laying down voice lines for the game. Accompanying Musk? A 200-year-old gun.
As Grimes recalled, Musk’s abrupt entrance with the antique firearm naturally caused tension. “The studio guys were like sweating,” she shared.
With characteristic Musk bravado, he declared that he was “armed but not dangerous.” It’s suspected that the gun was the replica flintlock pistol Musk has been known to keep by his bedside. Such dramatic episodes, readers find, typify Musk’s unconventional and audacious approach to business and life.
In Cyberpunk 2077, Grimes voices the character of Lizzy Wizzy, a bioengineered pop star. Players who follow a particular storyline end up embroiled in a quest where Lizzy Wizzy hires them to spy on her boyfriend, leading to an unexpected twist. A mystery about her boyfriend’s intentions unfolds, involving digital replicas and personality modifications. This arc culminates in a grim discovery and a dramatic decision by Wizzy.
The prevailing theory is Musk’s cameo is represented by an unassuming character found early on in the Corpo lifepath’s early sequence. Though the likeness isn’t an exact match, it’s tantalizingly close. As you venture in Cyberpunk 2077, you can find a character who bears a striking resemblance to Musk in a corporate bathroom. This seemingly inconspicuous character is potentially the fruit of Musk’s armed studio visit.
Musk’s cameo and the game itself have striking parallels with his real-life endeavors. Within Cyberpunk 2077, characters can acquire cybernetic implants that enable them to hack computers, enhance physical abilities, or even peer through a solid wall. Musk’s company, Neuralink, seems like a primitive version of these sci-fi devices.
For years, the company has actively worked on brain-computer interfaces, with monkeys already demonstrating real-life application by playing Pong.
Isaacson’s biography paints a vivid portrait of Musk’s immersion in the world of science fiction. When conceptualizing a product like the Tesla Cybertruck, Musk drew inspiration from Cyberpunk 2077, Blade Runner, and even Halo. He’s portrayed as an individual not just influenced by futuristic imaginations, but someone striving to build them.
For all of Musk’s groundbreaking ventures and audacious plans, there are moments of questionable judgment. Beyond the game’s cameo, the biography sheds light on other peculiarities, like Musk sharing private photos without consent and attempting to wrestle a sumo champion.
It’s a balancing act of genius and eccentricity. Whether it’s leveraging his wealth and influence to make a video game cameo or leading groundbreaking technological innovations, Musk remains a powerful and unpredictable force in the modern world – for better or for worse.
Speaking of Cyberpunk 2077, the game’s first and only premium expansion, Phantom Liberty, comes out on September 26. But, ahead of its release, the game’s largest update, will be available for free on September 21.
