CD Projekt Red co-CEO Michał Nowakowski has expressed concern that the disastrous launch of Cyberpunk 2077 may have irrevocably damaged the studio's relationship with a portion of its player base. In an interview with Edge magazine, republished via GamesRadar, Nowakowski stated he is "not 100 per cent convinced we went through the full redemption arc," adding that he is "convinced that we lost the faith of some people indefinitely."
The original release of Cyberpunk 2077 was marred by a litany of bugs, performance issues, and a general lack of polish, particularly on last-generation consoles. The game's state at launch was so problematic that it was temporarily removed from the PlayStation Store. This led to a significant drop in CD Projekt Red's share price and prompted a class-action lawsuit from investors, severely tarnishing the studio's reputation.
Despite the rocky start, CD Projekt Red utilized profits from Cyberpunk 2077 to implement extensive fixes. The release of the 2.0 update and the Phantom Liberty expansion are widely credited with transforming the game's perception, addressing many of its initial shortcomings and solidifying its standing as a strong roleplaying title.
Nowakowski hopes that future projects, such as The Witcher 4 and the recently announced Cyberpunk 2, will help regain any lost trust. He also revealed that the experience of fixing Cyberpunk 2077 provided the development team with valuable expertise. "We were left with seasoned, battle-hardened veterans; leaders who were able to carry a different kind of challenge on their shoulders," he explained, noting this has enabled CD Projekt Red to pursue a multi-project development strategy.
CD Projekt Red aims to increase its output but does not intend to become a studio that releases major titles annually. Nowakowski outlined a ten-year plan but stressed that the goal is not to saturate the market. He indicated that The Witcher 4 is unlikely to release before 2027, with Cyberpunk 2 potentially arriving closer to 2030. In the interim, the studio is supporting The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt with a third expansion, "Songs of the Past," developed by Fool's Theory, which is expected to be comparable in scope to the Blood and Wine expansion.