The Cyberpunk 2077 Release Disaster’s Silver Lining

Some events in the video game industry have such a powerful notion associated with a specific game that the two become synonymous. Dark Souls is associated with difficulty, World of Warcraft with long-lived MMOs, and then there is Cyberpunk 2077. Expectations for the first-person RPG were set incredibly high, yet upon the game’s release, they were far from met. CD Projekt Red’s failure to deliver was further exacerbated by its unfinished product, but in all the chaos there appears to be a silver lining.

Cyberpunk 2077 was in development for several years, seeing delay after delay as developer CD Projekt Red continued to promise it needed more time. Based on the Cyberpunk tabletop game, the studio worked together with R. Talsorian Games to develop the next chapter in the Cyberpunk franchise. Players were offered an open world, deep RPG character customization, and all manner of exciting new content they hadn’t seen before from the studio behind The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.

After announcing yet another delay in development, public backlash boiled over with demands the game be released immediately regardless of the studio claiming Cyberpunk 2077 was not yet ready. After pressure from fans (including threats of violence) and financial backers, the game was launched despite still being unfinished. The hype behind the game was so high that even if it had launched to the satisfaction of CD Projekt Red, it is doubtful reviews for Cyberpunk 2077 would have ever have reached such staggering heights.

Cyberpunk 2077 May Have Set An Example On How To Be Better

Cyberpunk 2077 was deemed an incomplete flop and has since been negatively associated with broken, bug-filled games which don’t live up to their own hype. Despite this heavily negative connotation, it has opened a more positive window for other developers and fans alike moving forward. Gamers were told that Cyberpunk 2077 was not yet ready, but mounting pressure forced its early release. Since that event, it appears there is a much stronger homogenous relationship between developers and the fans.

For one reason or another, game studios have seemingly been more open about delays and offered stronger communication to their fanbases regarding them, as if wanting to avoid the same mistakes made by releasing an unfinished game. While this may have previously been met with groans and aggression, it seems gamers are far more understanding after the Cyberpunk 2077 incident, with many on social media responding to delays with words of encouragement.

The disastrous response which befell Cyberpunk 2077 showcased what can happen to a promising game and a beloved development studio when met with toxicity from more than one direction. While it cannot be definitively stated that this was the cause, it does appear that mounting tensions over game delays have been shifting toward positive understanding more often. Developers don’t want to release an unfinished product and they certainly don’t want to see the kind of backlash CD Projekt RED suffered. Likewise, response to the news regarding delays is frequently met with messages for developers to take their time as no one wants to see this unfortunate Cyberpunk 2077 situation happen again.