What's the Fallout from the Disastrous Launch of Cyberpunk 2077?

Since Polish games studio CD Projekt Red announced the launch of Cyberpunk 2077 back in 2012, it was being billed as not just the Game of the Year, but potentially the Game of the Century. Coming from the makers of runaway smash hit The Witcher 3 and with some tantalizing previews released to whet the appetites of fans, the hype machine went into overdrive.

Unfortunately, the huge promise behind Cyberpunk 2077 fizzled out into a disappointing maelstrom of glitches, bugs and disgruntled gamers. So what went wrong? And what’s likely to be the fallout from this most heralded and most harangued of video game releases?

What went wrong?

The fact that the release of Cyberpunk 2077 was delayed several times could have been cause for concern in itself, but such postponements are fairly common in the gaming world. However, a Bloomberg report from September last year prompted more anxiety, when it emerged that CD Projekt Red were obliging their employees to work overtime (six-day weeks) in a bid to get the game over the finish line.

More alarm bells were sounded when press reviewers were only able to obtain PC versions of the game in the weeks prior to its release. Clearly, the Xbox and PS4 editions were not yet up to scratch, as proved to be the case in December when the much-anticipated game finally hit consumer shelves.

Consumer backlash

It quickly became clear that while the PC incarnation of Cyberpunk 2077 was mildly satisfactory (if entirely underwhelming), playing it on other consoles carried a whole host of issues, from inexplicable glitches and poor resolutions to reduced frame rates and lag times. It’s fair to say that the community which had been waiting for its release with bated breath were not best pleased and took to the internet to vent their displeasure.

As well as eviscerating the game in online forums and inundating its customer service team with refund requests, gamers also began to seek entertainment in other forms. This constituted a switch to other games, of course, but also entirely new spectrums of online recreation, including trying their luck at sites like Cherry Casino and the suchlike. If CD Projekt Red couldn’t scratch their itch, there were plenty of other diversions which could.

What next for the studio?

In the wake of the embarrassing aftermath of Cyberpunk 2077’s release, CD Projekt Red issued a formal apology to their customers, all but acknowledging their foreknowledge of the game’s issues. They have also ditched their much-lauded multiplayer version of the game, sparking speculation that the studio might be willing to cut its losses and move onto the next project.

For those still intent on playing Cyberpunk 2077, it appears that a passable version of it is now available on PS4 and PS5, though Xbox fans are still waiting in vain for an update on the situation. In the meantime, gamers might be best advised to turn their attention to the next incarnation in The Witcher series – or else find a new online game to occupy their attention altogether.

Galit Gordon

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I'm a published author and proud US Army veteran who happens to be a gamer, so I decided to combine the two and love every minute of it! Feel free to contact me with any questions or comments and I'll be sure to get back to you.