Following the disastrous launch of Cyberpunk 2077, which was riddled with bugs, missing features, and widespread online controversy, the development team at CD Projekt Red found solace in creating the game’s Phantom Liberty expansion and its 2.0 facelift.
According to the expansion’s lead, the process acted as a form of “group therapy” for the team, helping them cope with the backlash and work through the challenges they faced.
Pawel Sasko, the director of Cyberpunk 2 and Phantom Liberty, reflected on the tumultuous 2020 launch in a recent interview with Flow Games. He described the reception of the base game as “absolutely crushing,” especially for developers who joined the team after the immense success of The Witcher 3.
Sasko highlighted the emotional impact on these new team members, stating that it was particularly painful to see them demoralized by the negative response.
Sasko elaborated on the team’s recovery journey, noting that early patches like 1.2 and 1.3 were significant but did not substantially change public perception. Update 1.5 marked a more considerable improvement, yet player feedback still felt underwhelming to Sasko, likening it to a “consolation prize.”
The turning point came with the Edgerunners 1.6 update, which coincided with the release of the Netflix anime series “Edgerunners.” This update, along with the anime, provided a much-needed boost in motivation and shifted public perception positively.
The efforts of the development team were vindicated with the release of the 2.0 update and the Phantom Liberty expansion, which proved that the game could be redeemed. The developers recently celebrated the RPG’s resurgence, highlighted by its ‘Overwhelmingly Positive’ reviews on Steam, a testament to the successful turnaround.
Looking ahead, Cyberpunk 2077 is set to expand further with a massive multiplayer mod that will introduce PvP death matches, races, and more, allowing up to 20 players to engage in new experiences within the game’s universe. This addition signifies the ongoing evolution and commitment to enhancing the game’s offerings for its community.
