WHY CYBERPUNK 2077 FAILED... INITIALLY

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CYBERPUNK 2077

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Poland-based CD Projekt is the studio behind the game. Prior to launching Cyberpunk 2077, it made a name for itself with the release of The Witcher series.

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Cyberpunk 2077, which is based on a popular tabletop game, was first announced in May 2012. When it was released in December 2020, hype for the game literally knew no boundaries.

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Unfortunately, the launch ended up being a complete disaster. The game was severely bugged and, at times, even unplayable.

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But why did an experienced and beloved studio like CD Projekt screw up the launch of Cyberpunk 2077 so much?

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CD Projekt, due to the hype it managed to build up, was somewhat forced to release the game. It had already delayed the launch two times and wanted to avoid interest waning.

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The time constraints were amplified by the fact that the game had to be built up from scratch – unlike The Witcher where it could reuse certain graphics.

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Lastly, executives at CD Projekt would frequently butcher several months' worth of work. This went as far as changing many portions of the plot and adding stars like Keanu Reeves last-minute.

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Various patches, expansions, and next-gen console releases have since helped CD Projekt to turn the game around. In fact, Cyberpunk 2077 has become highly profitable now.

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