This is Niche Culture. In this column, we regularly cover anime, geek culture, and things related to video games. Please leave feedback and let us know if there’s something you want us to cover!

When CD Projekt RED announced the release date for Cyberpunk 2077, they showed off a new trailer for the game confirming Hollywood darling Keanu Reeves as a character in the game.

Response for Keanu appearing in the game has been naturally overwhelmingly positive – however the excellent dude himself said video games don’t need big stars to be legitimized.

“I don’t think they need legitimizing. If anything I’d say it’s gone the other way. It’s more of the influence gaming’s had on, let’s call it Hollywood,” Reeves said in an interview with the BBC.

He added, “Certainly with the Marvel Universe, right? But then gaming probably started in the beginning with Hollywood, right? I think these technologies have been talking to each other. I mean, Marlon Brando in the first Superman […] I remember him saying, ‘Okay, so now they can just digitize how I am, my look, and do another performance, and I don’t need to be there’.”

Reeves also noted how digital recreations of actors can preserve them, forever.

“That idea of the technology of image capture and performance – We’re seeing in Hollywood now so many performers where they’re either aging or making other performers younger. The elasticity of performance and time and what you look like and who you are, it’s getting more complex.”

Lastly, Reeves teased his role in the game as Johnny Silverhand.

“I’m kind of a guide, but I’m also.. You have to do something, but Johnny wants to do something, too,” Reeves said. “And so there’s this, am I your friend? Am I a foe? Am I really helping you? Am I not helping you? Are you in my way?”

Cyberpunk 2077 is launching on April 16th of 2020 across Windows PC (via Steam), PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.