If anyone is interested, this is Sobchuk/Sobchak. He is what River originally was. EVERY quest file is named after him, even side quests. He was supposed to be with V the entire game, and even the one who saves V from Dexter DeShawn in the dump.
The whole reason CDRed delayed releasing the game was literally to cut Sobchuk of HIS entire game and make Panam and Takemura into the main quest characters and to reintroduce Sobchuk as River Ward - a thirst trap for straight women and gay men (because he was originally bisexual). River's .ent file is still named sobchak.ent, in fact.
Sobchuk was meant to be a life-long NCPD Detective, never leaving the force. Considering V is Cononically a Street Kid, Sobchuk makes WAY more sense than River Ward. River's been on the force for 15-20 years and never met Street Kid V? Street Kid V would have been in and out of juvie and River/Sobchuk would have known them and probably tried to guide them - unsuccessfully - out of trouble. Vik is obviously a replacement for what Sobchuk would have been for a Street Kid V, the whole favorite-uncle-type feel he gives off.
And I don't think he's any less attractive than in-game River, just as I don't think River's harsher concept art is any less attractive. I think people would have chosen to romance him regardless, just as people still headcanon their V's romancing Vik despite that uncle-vibe that Vik gives off. If another romance option for V was the reason for remaking Sobchuk, it's a poor reason. And a huge waste of CDPR's time and money.
As much as I adore in-game River, but I can't help but wonder what the game would have been like with Sobchuk there every step of the way. I would have liked to see what his game was like.
