This Australian politician has had enough of Cyberpunk's 'woke' damage types

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Someone is finally speaking up about the real issues, be they Physical, Thermal, EMP or Chemical.

Cyberpunk 2077 Johnny sings
(Image credit: CD Projekt Red)

For some, politics in games are a touchy subject. But Australian MP Craig Kelly seems far more concerned with the outright depravity of Cyberpunk 2077's four elemental damage types.

On Saturday, Kelly attempted to weigh in on topic of Dr Seuss' estate choosing to cease publication of six of the author's books (currently a hot issue among conservative circles) by comparing it to news that Cyberpunk 2077 selling almost half a million copies in Australia. That's already a strange comparison to make—but it gets stranger when Kelly explains what, exactly, his issues are with CD Projekt's latest.

I'm having a hell of a time trying to figure this one out, readers. Cyberpunk 2077 has faced its fair share of criticism since release, launching in a bug-ridden state and inducing seizures in some players. Forget that, Kelly claims. Cyberpunk's real problem is that its four damage types represent the hypocrisy of "woke" culture.

How are we, paragons of virtue that we are, meant to be taken seriously when I've let slide that Cyperpunk lets us resist and inflict Thermal damage?  

Perhaps Kelly really does have his finger on the pulse of a long-suffering society. "My family and I are living in constant fear of the 4 damage types, especially EMP," one poor soul in the replies cries. "My wife has knife blades in her forearms and that would devastate us if she could no longer use them."

Another writes: "The 4 damage types destroyed my family and not even my wrist daggers or my sister's gun arms could save them. Help us return to normality Craig."

Time will tell if voters respond to this promise to finally deal with the spectre of the four damage types. We can only hope.

Natalie Clayton
Natalie Clayton
Features Producer

20 years ago, Nat played Jet Set Radio Future for the first time, and she's not stopped thinking about games since. Joining PC Gamer in 2020, she comes from three years of freelance reporting at Rock Paper Shotgun, Waypoint, VG247 and more. Embedded in the European indie scene and a part-time game developer herself, Nat is always looking for a new curiosity to scream about—whether it's the next best indie darling, or simply someone modding a Scotmid into Black Mesa. She also unofficially appears in Apex Legends under the pseudonym Horizon.