Cyberpunk 2077 shows why games industry needs a big change
- Botched release of the year’s hottest game highlights the industry’s tactic of releasing games in an unfinished state
- Updates that would place the game in a desirable state, especially on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, are potentially months away
Cyberpunk 2077 was always going to be hotly anticipated and highly debated. But now it’s a cautionary tale.
Since Keanu Reeves appeared last year at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles to announce his participation in the title, excitement for the game was been at a level that greets a new Marvel film. And the fact that it would deal with topical subject matter – including arguably questionable looks at gender, race and politics – meant that fans and the media alike were eager to spend time with the game.
Sony last week even took the drastic step of removing the game for the foreseeable future from its online store on PlayStation consoles. For those who have already bought the game, Sony is granting refunds. Microsoft responded by offering fans a refund but is keeping the game available for sale on its Xbox consoles. The game’s developer, the fan-beloved CD Projekt Red, whose The Witcher 3 remains one of the most celebrated games of the just-completed console generation, has pledged to fix the game.
Updates that would place the game in a desirable state are weeks and potentially months away.