Too Many People Gave Up & Never Returned to One of the Greatest Games of All Time

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For many gamers, *Cyberpunk 2077* was one of the most ambitious games ever created. While impressive trailers and a huge marketing campaign generated a lot of excitement, the game’s December 2020 release was a major disappointment for many. The initial experience was filled with terrible performance issues and countless bugs, especially on older consoles, turning what should have been a celebrated launch into one of the most infamous in gaming history.

Despite a rocky start, CD Projekt Red continued to improve *Cyberpunk 2077* with many updates, including a significant overhaul released with the *Phantom Liberty* expansion. These changes fixed many of the game’s biggest issues, bringing it closer to the original vision. While reviews now reflect the improved state of the game, millions of players still remember the initial disappointment. The game remains marked by its difficult launch, and it will take time to fully overcome that negative first impression and rebuild its reputation.

The Launch Disaster and Early Fallout

Cyberpunk 2077 is a well-known example of a game launch gone wrong, caused by excessive hype and difficult development. After nearly ten years of anticipation, it was released on December 10, 2020, with trailers and marketing materials that promised a massive, groundbreaking sci-fi RPG. This created incredibly high expectations, but many players found the final product didn’t live up to the promises.

When Cyberpunk 2077 launched, it was plagued with problems. Players experienced everything from small visual bugs to serious crashes, broken storylines, and even lost game progress – issues that no game should have at release. The performance was so bad that major online stores temporarily stopped selling it, which significantly hurt sales. The gaming community was extremely disappointed, and the negative reaction was widespread and strong.

To make matters even worse, CD Projekt Red limited pre-release reviews of *Cyberpunk 2077*, controlling what information was shared. This raised suspicions about their motives, and it later became clear they knew the game was riddled with problems. The resulting negative reaction was intense, even forcing some who had initially praised the game to publicly apologize for misleading players. In a matter of days, CD Projekt Red’s carefully built reputation, earned through the success of *The Witcher* series, was seriously damaged and largely destroyed.

The problems went beyond just the game’s bugs. The disastrous launch put CD Projekt Red under heavy public pressure, raising questions about their work environment and ambitious deadlines. The developers faced a lot of stress and criticism. After the first week, millions of players had either given up on the game or were waiting to see if CD Projekt Red could resolve the many issues. Although the developer eventually fixed many of those problems, for a lot of players, the fixes came too late to save their initial impression.

Clawing Out A Deep Hole

After the rocky start of Cyberpunk 2077, both the game and the company behind it, CD Projekt Red, spent months and years working to improve things. They released numerous updates and fixes to address the game’s biggest technical issues and add features that were missing at launch. By 2021, Cyberpunk 2077 was finally functioning much closer to how it had originally been promised.

The anime series *Cyberpunk: Edgerunners*, created with Studio Trigger, significantly boosted interest in the *Cyberpunk 2077* game. The series was highly acclaimed for accurately capturing the world of Cyberpunk and brought both new players to Night City and returning players back to the game. This resurgence was fueled by positive word-of-mouth and encouraged many gamers to give the game another try.

With the 2.0 update, the game received a significant revamp, improving balance, offering more ways to customize your character, and refining core systems like combat, cyberware, and roleplaying. The response to these changes was overwhelmingly positive, leading many critics and players to reconsider the game – some even suggested it could be one of the greatest games ever made. While that level of praise might be a bit much, this positive reception was exactly what Cyberpunk 2077 needed to recover from its rocky launch and the problems CD Projekt RED initially faced.

The Current State and the Challenge of Rebuilding Faith

Today, *Cyberpunk 2077* is considered a great immersive role-playing game and well worth playing. It runs well on PCs and newer consoles, offering engaging stories and a uniquely detailed city. The *Phantom Liberty* expansion significantly improved the original game, to the point where many players feel it’s essential. Thanks to ongoing improvements and updates, Night City is now a truly enjoyable place to explore, and reviews now focus on the game’s strengths rather than its past issues.

Despite significant improvements, many gamers still haven’t given *Cyberpunk 2077* another chance. For a lot of people, their initial, disappointing experience at launch stuck with them, and they’re hesitant to try it now. After five years, some feel it’s too late to revisit the game. The reputation of a flawed launch continues to haunt *Cyberpunk 2077*, meaning new players have to consider its troubled history even with its current quality. This initial negative impression is proving difficult to shake. Fixing a disastrous launch can be just as challenging for developers as creating the game in the first place.

CD Projekt Red is still working hard to regain player trust and fully realize the potential of the Cyberpunk world. They’re already developing a sequel, but are keeping it under wraps until it’s closer to release – a clear indication they’ve learned from past mistakes. The journey of *Cyberpunk 2077* is a warning to the gaming industry, demonstrating the dangers of making promises you can’t keep, but also showing that it’s possible to recover and earn back goodwill. While the game is now a great experience, its difficult launch will always be remembered.

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2025-09-15 19:11