⚠️ This article contains spoilers for the main story of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners and the collaboration event.

On June 8, KURO GAMES launched a collaboration between 'Wuthering Waves' and 'Cyberpunk: Edgerunners.' For users who have followed KURO GAMES, there was never any doubt about the quality of the event. The developer had already established a strong track record of successful collaborations with iconic titles like 'NieR: Automata' and 'Devil May Cry' in its previous game, 'Punishing: Gray Raven.' Furthermore, having overcome the growing pains of the Jinzhou era and made significant strides in both storytelling and direction through the 'Rinascita' and 'Lahai-Roi' updates, Wuthering Waves had built high expectations for how the team would leverage its expertise to bring the 'Cyberpunk: Edgerunners' collaboration to life.

At the same time, there was a sense of apprehension. If it had just been Lucy, it might have been fine, but the moment other characters like Rebecca were confirmed to appear, there was a risk of it feeling like an unnecessary addition to the original story. Since it has been four years since the anime aired, I will spoil this: Rebecca died. David died. And they became a legend. Their deaths were what made Cyberpunk: Edgerunners complete.

In a cruel city dominated by megacorps, where anyone can die pointlessly at any moment, they took on the world with a death-defying resolve and sacrificed everything to save Lucy. As Lucy once said, "In this business, you don't get remembered for how you lived, but for how you died." Their heroic ends are still talked about today—whether through memes or the cocktails named after them at the Afterlife. Many viewers who witnessed those ends went on to become V, challenging Arasaka Tower in their stead and taking revenge on Adam Smasher, writing new legends of their own.

Given that, it was only natural to worry that even a non-canon collaboration might cross a line. Especially since that quote from Lucy resonates even through the events of Cyberpunk 2077, the idea of dead characters being resurrected for a cameo is something to be extremely wary of. It could easily have ended up like the Relic—a hollow imitation.

However, this Wuthering Waves collaboration managed to find a way to provide closure while staying within the lines. It focused on the trauma Lucy carries as the one left behind, and the words she never got to say. I mentioned their heroic ends earlier, but their final moments were so fleeting that they didn't even have time for a proper goodbye. Even if that tragic parting is the fate of the Edgerunners living in the Cyberpunk world, it is hard not to feel a lingering bitterness whenever you think of it. If we as observers feel this way, it goes without saying that Lucy, who lived it, feels it even more.

There was a lot to juggle: providing a reason for Rebecca to appear while navigating Lucy's complex emotions, and explaining the inevitable collision of two different worlds. Yet, this three-hour collaboration story pulled it off brilliantly. While I shouldn't use the cliché that seeing is believing, there is no other way to describe it. I cannot discuss the details without ruining the experience for those who have yet to play it.

Besides, to ramble on would be to violate the very aesthetic this collaboration upholds. It didn't over-explain or clutter the narrative. It distilled only the essential information and focused on the necessary scenes. Yet, the quality and detail packed into those moments exceeded expectations. The modeling of Lucy and Rebecca, the flashbacks, Night City, and even the quickhacking—it was all so meticulously crafted that it felt real, even if it was just a dream.

After capturing our attention, it captivated our hearts with its lingering emotional impact. The collaboration didn't rely on heavy dialogue; there were many moments where characters would open their mouths to speak, only to fall silent. The subtle shifts in expression, the gaze, and the gestures during those pauses conveyed emotions that words could not, allowing the story to communicate so much in such a short time. And throughout it all, it never veered into mere fan service; it remained disciplined and restrained.

I couldn't help but weep at the sorrow of it all, but in the end, I accepted the farewell alongside Lucy and returned to reality with a heavy heart. And then I realized: what Lucy—and what we—needed was a little time to say goodbye to David and Rebecca, and a small gift to help us cherish those memories. This collaboration provided exactly that.