CD Projekt Red joint CEO Michał Nowakowski has admitted that the decision to launch Cyberpunk 2077 in its state was a mistake. The game's release in 2020 was marred by numerous bugs, performance issues, and save corruption problems, leading to a widely criticized player experience.
Nowakowski, speaking to The Game Business, addressed the circumstances surrounding the launch. He noted that the development occurred during a peculiar period impacted by COVID-19, which contributed to a different kind of team exhaustion. While external factors like investor pressure were not the primary drivers, Nowakowski acknowledged that the development team itself was also eager to release the game due to the demanding circumstances.
"The team was getting exhausted in a different way," Nowakowski explained. "There were people outside telling us we should launch, fans asking for it, but the team itself also wanted to push it out the door because it was really tiring at that moment in time." He further clarified that there were no specific investors mandating an immediate release. Instead, the decision was described as a more complex psychological situation.
However, the assertion that the team solely wished for release warrants consideration, given reports of mandatory crunch being implemented in the months leading up to Cyberpunk 2077's launch. This contradicts previous statements from the studio regarding crunch policies, suggesting that individual developer desires may have been at odds with required working conditions.
Despite the troubled launch, Cyberpunk 2077 has seen a significant redemption arc over the past several years, with CD Projekt Red continuing to update and improve the game. The title, along with The Witcher 3, continues to sell well. This ongoing success, Nowakowski suggested, does not alleviate pressure for upcoming titles such as The Witcher 4, which is currently targeting a 2028 release date. The hope remains that future projects will avoid the pitfalls of Cyberpunk 2077's initial launch.