After much anticipation, Cyberpunk 2077 was released in December 2020. Developed by CD Projekt Red, the acclaimed developer behind The Witcher series, expectations were high. However, that led to many getting a game plagued by different problems they ended up feeling disappointed with instead.
A Launch Marred by Technical Issues
Cyberpunk 2077 had complaints flying at it from the start. Issues were even more apparent on newer hardware like the PlayStation 4, where it failed to launch properly. Players found themselves facing weird graphical anomalies with disappearing backgrounds, choppy animations, and worse of all—often stuttering frame rates.
But the flaws went beyond mere visual oddities for many. Game-breaking issues saw a few players unable to finish missions. The action adversely harmed Cyberpunk 2077’s reputation in the video game business, as it occurred just a few weeks after release. Fans inundated refund requests after years in development purgatory left the game wanting.
CD Projekt Red also faced its own scrutiny for how it handled the matter as well. Some felt a bit burned, especially given the commercials suggesting that it would work on previous platforms. Since the marketing materials concentrated largely on top-tier PC and next-generation console performance, some accused them of dishonesty and even worse.
The Road to Redemption: Massive Updates and Patches
The game had a nightmare release but managed to recover its reputation somewhat. CD Projekt Red vowed to patch the game, and post-launch, they began rolling out significant patches one after another. Hotfixes 1.04 and 1.05 were quickly used to address issues, but it was Patch 1.1 and then the first parts of Patch 2 in early 2021 that got things back on track again.
Patch 1.1 and 1.2: The First Steps
In January 2021, the release of Patch 1.1 was one of the early strides toward improving the game. Many of the changes found in this patch were optimisations, which meant fewer crashes for most players.
An even larger expansion was Patch 1.2, which dropped in March. It patched out hundreds of bugs and greatly improved stability across numerous systems, including performance improvements for PC users, not to mention fixes that improved AI behaviour when driving and greatly improved police behaviour.
Patch 1.5 and the “Next-Gen” Update
The 1.5 update has brought the long-awaited “next-gen” update for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S consoles. This felt more in line with the experience that was promised: better graphics, faster load times, and additional features.
Quality-of-life improvements came with Patch 1.5, impacting the in-game economy, rebalanced combat, and NPC behaviour tweaks. These additions addressed some of the more pressing complaints from players concerning immersion and gameplay balance. The update also included new content, such as more apartments for V (the player character) and minor narrative touches that added a little extra depth to Night City.
The Turning Point: Edgerunners Update and Patch 1.6
February 8, 2022, marked the premiere of the Cyberpunk: Edgerunners anime series on Netflix. It was an important day for Cyberpunk 2077. The anime was a success overall and revitalised the game.
This rekindling of interest was accompanied by the arrival of Patch 1.6 (an update titled the “Edgerunners Update”), which improved upon the game’s performance and added additional content, as well as cross-progression that finally made it possible for players to transfer their saves from one platform to another.
How CD Projekt Red Regained Trust
Cyberpunk 2077 still had room for improvement, but its moment in the spotlight wasn’t just about patches and tech fixes—it was about CD Projekt Red hoping players would start to trust them again. The studio was proactive in communication, sharing patch notes and being upfront about how development was progressing while also admitting to the game’s flaws. This honesty was crucial in shaping the public’s perception.
Looking Forward: A Bright Future for Cyberpunk 2077
Now, in 2024, Cyberpunk 2077 is not the cautionary tale it once was. A sizeable expansion called Phantom Liberty has given the game a new carved-out existence. Phantom Liberty details the huge changes that have been made and is highly critical of Cyberpunk 2077 for many things, but also calls this an overhaul to its storytelling capabilities. Now the game is truly worth playing.