In December 2020, the excitement in the gaming world was at an all-time high with the release of Cyberpunk 2077, a highly anticipated title from CD Projekt Red, the creators of The Witcher series.
Cyberpunk promised a futuristic open-world experience like no other. However, what followed was a long journey that tested the patience of gamers and developers alike.
Cyberpunk 2077’s Launch Disaster and False Promises
Immensve hype surrounded the game for years, especially after the release of The Witcher 3 and its two beloved expansions. When Cyberpunk 2077 launched, excitement quickly turned to disappointment for many players, especially those on consoles.
They still sold a broken game
— DarthBallz (@DarthBallz6969) June 13, 2024
The game was riddled with bugs, glitches, and performance issues, and failed to meet the expectations set by its ambitious marketing campaign and gameplay demos. Players encountered frequent crashes, graphical anomalies, and poor AI that detracted from the immersive experience promised by CD Projekt Red.
The performance on consoles was especially bad. The game launched without a next-gen update, and the framerate and resolutions on base PS4 and Xbox One consoles would drop down to as low as 600p, with a 20-25fps average in any area filled with NPCs. The image quality was especially blurry as well. Several patches were rolled out in the next few days, but with very minor improvements only.
The backlash was severe. Fans took to social media platforms and review sites to vent their frustrations. Memes and videos showcasing the game’s bizarre glitches went viral, further tarnishing its reputation. CD Projekt Red issued apologies and promised to fix the issues with patches and updates, but the damage was done. Cyberpunk 2077 became synonymous with highly botched launches and overhyped expectations. Sony even issued quick refunds to players in a rare move.
The Road to Redemption for Cyberpunk 2077
Despite the pretty disastrous launch, CD Projekt Red embarked on a long journey to redeem Cyberpunk 2077. The studio committed to a series of major updates aimed at addressing technical issues and improving gameplay mechanics. Over the following months, multiple patches were released, each aimed at stabilizing the game and enhancing performance across different platforms.
Gradually, the narrative surrounding Cyberpunk 2077 began to shift. Players who had initially shelved the game due to its technical shortcomings returned a few years later to find a more polished experience.
Sad this game was released at such bad state. If they released the game the way it is right now- CD Projects would get a game of the year 100%.
— Student (@Student18388511) June 13, 2024
CD Projekt Red’s transparency in communicating updates and listening to player feedback helped rebuild trust within the community. Features promised but missing at launch, such as more robust AI behavior and additional customization options, were gradually implemented through DLC and updates.
It's still a mid game with a lot of missing features, why are people defending it?
It's not the game that was promised
It's a far cry game with a good story and good graphics.— Artyomz (@Artyomz_PC) June 13, 2024
On social media, debates continue over whether the game has truly redeemed itself or if the initial damage to its reputation is irreparable. People argue that while the patches have improved stability, Cyberpunk 2077 still falls short of the revolutionary experience once promised.
Branching paths meaningful dialogue options and other choices are still very minimal or almost non-existent, something that was deeply promised before release. The game also lacks verticality, with most of the buildings and locations not being enterable.
The community still remains divided between those who praise the game’s narrative depth and world-building and others who cannot overlook its tumultuous beginnings.
Where do you stand on Cyberpunk 2077’s journey? Let us know in the comments.
