Cyberpunk 2077 Dev Vows to Mending Ties With Fans for an Epic Comeback

CD Projekt Red, the developer of Cyberpunk 2077, acknowledges the need to repair its relationship with fans, according to a senior company official. This revelation follows the announcement of the release date for Cyberpunk 2077's Phantom Liberty DLC during the recent Xbox Games Showcase.

Since its controversial launch in December 2020, Cyberpunk 2077 has made significant strides in overcoming the negative reception it initially faced. The game's poor performance on the PS4 and Xbox One greatly impacted its reputation. In response, CD Projekt Red dedicated two years to optimizing the game and ultimately discontinued support for last-generation consoles with the release of the Cyberpunk 2077 1.61 update in late 2022. The forthcoming expansion, Phantom Liberty, is scheduled for release in September and will only be accessible on PC and current-generation consoles.

In the interim, the specter of the game's calamitous launch still hangs over the developer, with CDPR's Vice President of Public Relations and Communication, Michał Platkow-Gilewski, acknowledging its impact. In a recent interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Platkow-Gilewski reflected on the last three years as a turbulent period for the company, recognizing that there is still work to be done in rebuilding its reputation. "Our main focus now is repairing our relationship [with the fanbase]," explained Platkow-Gilewski. Expanding on this point, he emphasized that simply delivering CDPR's full potential should be sufficient to move forward, starting with the release of Cyberpunk 2077's first and only expansion.

It remains to be seen whether Phantom Liberty will transform Cyberpunk 2077 into the highly anticipated game of 2020. However, Platkow-Gilewski assures that the developer has taken measures to prevent another disappointing release. Among these changes is the decision to use Unreal Engine 5 instead of REDengine for the upcoming sequel of Cyberpunk 2077. Furthermore, CDPR is currently decentralizing its development practices to effectively utilize its expanding workforce.

In response to the troubled launch of Cyberpunk 2077, CDPR has undertaken efforts to eliminate crunch culture. The game initially went gold under unsustainable conditions. Platkow-Gilewski mentions that the company now has a dedicated team focused on reducing excessive working hours and improving the overall work-life balance. Despite its shortcomings, Cyberpunk 2077 achieved tremendous commercial success as it broke even through pre-orders alone.

CDPR is not only completing Phantom Liberty, but also working on further improvements for its RPG to enhance the overall gameplay. The most recent update, the Cyberpunk 2077 1.63 patch, was released earlier this month and resolved more than thirty issues. Cyberpunk 2077 can be played on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

Source: GamesIndustry.biz