Following the tumultuous launch of Cyberpunk 2077, the game’s development team embarked on a journey of redemption through the creation of the Phantom Liberty expansion and the much-needed 2.0 facelift. Lead of the expansion, Pawel Sasko, described this process as a form of “group therapy” for the team, who were still reeling from the game’s rocky reception in 2020.
Sasko highlighted the impact of Cyberpunk 2077’s initial launch, referring to it as “absolutely crushing” for the developers, especially those who had joined CD Projekt Red after the success of The Witcher 3. The lack of acclaim for their hard work took a toll on the team, with Sasko expressing deep disappointment in seeing his colleagues devastated by the game’s reception.
The team’s path to redemption began with patches 1.2 and 1.3, which Sasko described as “stepping stones” towards improvement. However, these updates did little to shift public perception of the game. It wasn’t until update 1.5, and later the Edgerunners 1.6 update launched alongside the Netflix anime series, that the tide began to turn for Cyberpunk 2077.
Sasko credited the Edgerunners anime series as a crucial turning point for the game, providing a fresh introduction to the universe that resonated with players. Combined with the previous updates, Edgerunners gave the team the motivation they needed to believe in the possibility of redemption for the game.
With the release of the 2.0 update and Phantom Liberty expansion, Cyberpunk 2077 experienced a remarkable turnaround in its Steam reviews, earning an ‘Overwhelmingly Positive’ rating. This achievement validated the team’s efforts and proved that redemption was indeed possible.
The journey of Cyberpunk 2077 from a disastrous launch to a redemption story with positive reviews showcases the resilience and commitment of the development team. Through perseverance and dedication, they were able to overcome the obstacles and transform the game into a success story.
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