Wait, So Who’s the Corpo, and Who’s the Streetkid?

In our first episode, we dive into the beginnings of our adventure into the world of Cyberpunk 2077.

When we launched The Corpo and Streetkid, I knew I wanted to start with honesty—our stories and love (and frustrations) with Cyberpunk 2077. In this debut episode, Brian and I take listeners through our individual—and very different—journeys with the game: from the thrill of the first announcement to the heartbreak of launch day and, ultimately, to rediscovering what made us fall in love with it in the first place.

We start by unpacking the name of our show. It’s more than just a nod to the in-game lifepaths—it’s a reflection of us. I chose Streetkid for the first time through the game, and that initial experience stuck with me. Brian, ever the skeptic, took a while to warm up to the Corpo path, but now we both agree: something is compelling about each of the three life paths, even if we quietly agree that Nomad might be the best. I know, it’s not in the title, but The Corpo and Streetkid sounded really catchy.

I also loved exploring the roots of the genre that shaped this world. Brian vividly remembers discovering the Cyberpunk tabletop RPG as a teenager (thank you, Mike Pondsmith, for this creation!), and I could see how deeply it impacted him. We discuss how the worldbuilding from Blade Runner to Bubblegum Crisis and even Deus Ex laid the groundwork for what CD Projekt Red eventually brought to life—warts and all.

Of course, we had to talk about the launch. It wouldn’t be honest if we didn’t. Brian had a smooth experience on his newer PlayStation 4. My refurbished PlayStation nearly caught fire. I literally had to set up a fire-reducing setup with fans and stripped-down covers to keep it running. I was frustrated, sad, and somewhat jealous of Brian’s joy.

It took me two years (and a new system) to finally have the experience I deserved, but I returned. When I did, it reminded me why this game meant so much in the first place.

If you're curious about what initially drew us to Cyberpunk 2077 and how our unique experiences shaped our lifepath choices, you won't want to miss this episode. We delve into those moments that captivated us and the personal journeys we experienced throughout the game. Additionally, we discuss the significant gameplay improvements that CD Projekt Red implemented to address the issues at launch.

I do have to warn you that this podcast isn’t like what I’ve produced before. To create a casual, laid-back experience, I wanted it to be close to how Brian and I talk in real life. We’re just talkin’, man.

This episode is a look back—a messy, loving tribute to a game that broke our hearts and slowly earned them back. If you're new to Cyberpunk 2077 or still processing your experience, I hope you’ll listen and feel seen. Welcome to The Corpo and Streetkid. We’re just getting started.