Cyberpunk 2077’s Sequel Should Bite the Bullet and Indulge in an Industry Trend

CD Projekt Red’s Cyberpunk 2077 was highly anticipated before its release, in part thanks to the hyping-up the studio indulged in. What was meant to be a futuristic Grand Theft Auto quickly turned into a source of scorn and mockery when the game was finally released.

Filled with bugs and unmet promises, Cyberpunk 2077 had a very unceremonious release. This killed a good chunk of the good faith the studio had built with fans through The Witcher franchise. Even though CDPR worked hard to rebuild the game’s image, the Cyberpunk sequel still has to earn trust, and there’s one great way that can be done.

Cyberpunk 2077’s Disastrous Launch

When Cyberpunk 2077 was released in December 2020, it was not what fans were expecting. The product was extremely buggy, running particularly badly on the PS4 and Xbox One, and multiple features that were promised were missing. The debacle was so bad, Sony removed Cyberpunk from its storefront as waves of gamers demanded refunds. Slowly but surely, CD Projekt Red worked on the game to bring it up to par, and it eventually made its way back to the PS Store, but there was still a lot of trust broken between gamers and the studio.

The launch served as a lesson that a bad release can ruin the credibility of a game and a studio, and that sometimes, a delay is the superior choice if a game hasn’t reached the level of performance it should. With the next Cyberpunk game, CD Projekt Red has a huge task ahead of it to convince gamers that things are different this time, and this can be done through early access privileges.

What Caused Cyberpunk’s 2077 Bad Launch?

There are a few theories surrounding why the launch was substandard. Some argue the game was rushed out so that it could be released during the holiday season to maximize sales. According to CD Projekt Red, it should have paid more attention to last-gen console performance, which it did not.

How Early Access Could Help Cyberpunk’s Sequel

The Polish studio needs to prove to fans that it can deliver a premium product on par with The Witcher from day one. There’s no better way to do this than to allow early access. By letting gamers get a taste of the product, playing the unfinished game early in its last few months of development, CDPR can demonstrate that it is everything it was promised to be and that it won’t repeat the previous debacle.

Cyberpunk 2077‘s launch won’t be forgotten easily, which makes it essential that the studio does everything to regain the trust of its fans. Reviewers are useful in this regard, but sometimes experiencing something first-hand is the best way to judge its quality. Of course, this plan only works if the sequel is actually of good quality, or else it could backfire badly.

Is There a Cyberpunk Sequel on the Way?

The studio has announced that a sequel is in development. Codenamed Project Orion, the game will be developed on Unreal Engine 5. Outside of this, nothing is known regarding what to expect from CD Projekt Red’s next foray into the cyberpunk world.

Early access comes with its own risks, but that may be what CD Projekt Red requires to convince fans that the mistakes of Cyberpunk 2077 won’t happen again. A little sneak peek via early access could do a world of good for Project Orion, even more so than rave reviews that come post-release.

Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077 is an RPG set in a future dystopian world. Players take up the role of V, who works as a mercenary in Night City in California. Gameplay involves branching dialogue, open-world exploration, character classes, and combat.

Released

December 10, 2020

Engine

REDengine 4

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol

How Long To Beat

25 Hours

Metascore

75

PS Plus Availability

N/A