Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Was a Tearjerker, But One Writer Says It Almost Had ‘Even Worse Endings’

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners almost featured a different and “even worse” ending than the one it got, according to writer Bartosz Sztybor.

The writer behind Studio Trigger and CD Projekt Red’s acclaimed Cyberpunk 2077 anime spin-off spoke about how Season 1’s already bleak story could have had fans shedding more tears during a conversation with Anime Corner. In an excerpt from the full, yet-to-be-released interview, Sztybor teased that the ending of David and Lucy’s story was almost more tragic than the one we got when the show came to Netflix 2022.

Warning! Spoilers for Cyberpunk: Edgerunners follow…

“There was never a happy ending. There were even worse endings,” Sztybor said. “There was one ending in which David doesn’t die entirely. Arasaka gets him and he ends up fighting in Africa or South America in corporate wars as a robot.”

If you’ve not had a chance to see all 10 episodes of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, you should know that the beautifully tragic tale of David Martinez never shied away from the brutality of Night City. It’s a tearjerker from front to back, with his story (and many others) finally coming to an end at the hands of Adam Smasher as Lucy finally gets to take that trip to the moon.

The ending to Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is bittersweet, to say the least. It’s hard to imagine what it would have looked like without those final shots of Lucy looking down at Earth as Rosa Walton’s “I Really Want to Stay at Your House” plays her out, but Sztybor suggests it nearly wasn’t how the story came to a close.

Of course, fans should note Sztybor teased there were worse “endings,” suggesting the cut finale where David lives is just one of what could be many different moments that wound up on the cutting room floor. So, even if Season 1 made you cry, you can rest assured things could have been much, much sadder.

For now, the crew from Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Season 1 lives on as side content featured in Cyberpunk 2077. A second season of the show is on the way but currently has no release date, with more expected to be revealed June 29. A prequel manga starring Rebecca was also released back in February.

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).