Cyberpunk 2077 is experiencing a massive revival, and the developers are loving it.
Talk to fans on his site Twitch channel (Across GamesRadar), Cyberpunk 2077 task manager Paul Sasko explained what it means to see the game picked up by so many, long after its original release.
“It’s hard to express, when you put so much effort and work into something,” he said. “And you know some of us have had six, seven, eight years sometimes, especially for those who got started in the beginning. So, to have this moment, from people who love something we’ve done, it really feels a little bit unrealistic. That’s in the end. People appreciate it.”
Cyberpunk 2077 debuted on December 10, 2020, but its launch was turbulent, to say the least. The console’s disastrous launch on base versions of PS4 and Xbox One saw widespread bugs and bugs, a problem so bad that Sony quickly delisted the game, with PS Store and developer CD Projekt Red offering refunds to those who bought it.
The game was eventually re-listed in June 2021, but with a caveat that it would have been better played on PlayStation Pro and PS5. The PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S updated versions of Cyberpunk 2077 were finally released on February 15, 2022.
“After the release, I couldn’t believe – after some time, I did – but at first I didn’t, and I remember […] ‘My dear friend,’ said Sasco, ‘she used to see me as a utterly broken king.’ “But it is good to be back. It is so good to be back. It was really heartbreaking.”
After criticism, CD Projekt Red has gone to great lengths to transform the game, with multiple bug fixes and updates across the game’s life to date. But perhaps most importantly, the massive popularity of its spin-off anime, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, has seen the game skyrocket once again.
IGN’s Cyberpunk Edgerunners review said: “Cyberpunk: Edgerunners delivers a satisfying return to Night City that does a better job of exploring why Mike Pondsmith’s iconic location is so popular in the first place.” After the anime was released, Cyberpunk 2077 saw record numbers of players.
Every day this week Night City has been visited by a million players, new and returning.
We wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for being with us and playing the game. Thanks choms! 💛 pic.twitter.com/zqggblztF8– Cyberpunk 2077 (@CyberpunkGame) September 21 2022
CD Projekt Red reported that over a million people played Cyberpunk 2077 every day in the week following the launch of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. With improvements, bug fixes, and a next-generation update back in February 2022, they’re facing a better game too.
Want to read more about Cyberpunk 2077? Find out why Cyberpunk 2077 is ending support for PS4 and Xbox One, as well as some details about the upcoming expansion.
Ryan Liston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. you can follow it Twitter.
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