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Yes! I'm breaking the mold here with my usual content to do an old-fashioned column. I haven't done one of these in a while, even though I got my start here on Hive doing editorial pieces.
Allow me to return to my roots with a subject I am very passionate about. I've been thinking, playing, and living in Cyberpunk for the past ten years of my life. This dedication allows me to color a detailed picture of the path this franchise has walked. From overwhelming hype to abject disgust and disappointment, to finally redemption.
Take a seat, grab some ☕ or 🍵 as I elaborate on the rollercoaster that is Cyberpunk 2077.
As part of their redemption arc, CD Project Red released this low-fi album. Consisting of remixed versions of the original score, it is one of the better such albums I've heard. And perfect for listening to while reading this article. 🕺
I will try and present matters as objectively as possible. When I have some deeper thoughts I will present them nicely bracketed for you guys so you know that these are my subjective thoughts. Of course, you could argue it is all subjective - but roll with me here. 😅
You could argue Cyberpunk is the most hype a game has ever received before its release. Let's examine how this hype was produced and why it ultimately led to the biggest disappointment in gaming history.
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It all began with one of the biggest teaser trailers ever produced. This trailer came out at a time when CD Project Red** was soaring to legendary levels of fandom approval. Just before the release of their biggest game yet, no less. Promising a setting we've never seen the studio develop in, it was the talk of the gaming world for years on end.
As the years passed, the memes arose - "the release date is actually 2077" was a very popular one. 😁 Remember it would be over 5 years between this trailer and anything regarding Cyberpunk. CD Project kept reassuring us that they were still working on the game. And hype is only built and built.
There were some warning signs even then. But people refused to listen. Developers came out stating the team really didn't know what they wanted/ Upper management kept moving the game's design goalposts, and there was a lot of uncertainty in the project. Of course, people were so blinded by their love of CDPR and what they accomplished with the Witcher, that they just chalked it up to disgruntled employees talking $#!@.
Regardless, in the five years that followed, this was all hearsay. That is, until the Microsoft conference at e3 2018. Where at the end of the show, CD Project Red hacked the conference in one of the coolest moments in gaming history. Presenting us with a glimpse into the world of Night City.
So many mixed reactions followed this trailer. People were building up their ideal game for years and after so long of not showing us anything (because they weren't sure about anything) certain people were bound to be disappointed.
I remember a lot of my friends were expecting a better Deus Ex. And this trailer promised more of a GTA experience. Everyone has their own image of Cyberpunk - and I'm talking about the genre here - that they were blindsided by the feel of this trailer.
This would all be put to rest when a 48-minute narrated gameplay section would be released shortly after the end of e3. And this right here, would signal the beginning of the end of the Hype Machine.
This demonstration was shown to press behind closed doors at e3, and once it was shown to the public, all hell broke loose. I remember watching it and feeling like "OMG this is the ultimate game" - and it wasn't just me. Everyone thought that. Showing such detail in a yet-to-be-released product was unprecedented. And as we will soon discuss, that precedent exists for a reason. 😅
As they did for the past 5 years, people would continue to build this game in their minds. It is worth mentioning that CDPR did state clearly that this was all a work in progress and subject to change. But just like before, when developers tried to warn people, people chose to ignore the signs and just focus on their hype.
This would all result in one of the hypest moments in gaming history. When Cyberpunk announced they would be teaming up with none other than Keanu Reaves.
I don't have to elaborate on how amazing this is. Keanu at this time had unmatched clout. He was the most loved celebrity on the planet. Combine this with the image that CD Project Red had, and you have a recipe for greatness.
Keanu's appearance on the e3 stage was unlike anything anyone had ever experienced. Infinitely memeable (yes, that's a word), people were losing their minds online. It was like a dream, but just like any other dream, it was too good to be true.
Some people were disappointed that we only got a cinematic trailer instead of more gameplay. But there was nothing to be worried about... right? 🤣
At this time, the hype was at an all-time high. The following trailer was not as hype as the last one, but it did enough to keep the unprecedented hype train going.
A spanky new trailer, a release date, and hype, unlike anything we have ever seen ensued. After this trailer, anyone that was anyone knew about Cyberpunk, and was just as hyped as the next person.
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The tagline 'when it's ready' was like a spell that ensured gamers this game would be perfect. The numerous times it got pushed back was another sign that the devs were taking great care to deliver on their promise. Meanwhile, there were more warning signs - unprecedented crunch, people leaving the company because of bad working conditions, and mismanagement. Did anyone listen? Nope. At this point, the hypest game of all time was born and there was no stopping it.
The bar was "best game of all time" anything less would be a disappointment. This was the time when CD Project Red's stock was bigger than Ubisoft. Unprecedented is understated when you consider the disparity of the number of game titles between the two studios.
It's ironic, that CDPR released my favorite trailer at the dawn of their downfall. I come back to this trailer every now and then because it's just that good. I love it with all my heart. Fitting that it symbolizes the end of the Hype Machine. And the beginning of the -
The hype is over folks. The most buggy releases in gaming history just dropped, and people are not happy.
Not happy is an understatement. The game was taken down from Playstation stores as it just didn't work. It was clear as day that this was a 'next-gen title' released on consoles and systems unfit to run it. Of course, corporate greed took over, accepting the hit to their public perception all for the sake of profit.
Both things happened. CDPR, the darling of the gaming industry, became the most hated developer in the world. They issued a public apology from the head of the studio (again, unprecedented). Even though the game sold over 17m copies in the first week. The damage was done, and their reputation was tarnished.
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The blame here is both on CDPR for not dousing those rumors hard enough and also on the people for building this game up in their minds so much. But let's not get it twisted, CDPR knew what they were doing. THey allowed the hype to swallow them whole. As such, they became the laughingstock of the industry.
Each patch seemed to introduce just as many bugs as it fixed. CDPR's stock went from toppling gaming giants like Ubisoft to being in the gutter. It was a meltdown of epic proportions. CD Project Red were the chosen one, it was for them to save the industry from EA and Activision, not join them!
The gaming darlings became the laughingstock of the industry. But... there was a glimmer of hope. Enough people liked the game to keep the fire burning while the devs tried to fix the mess they landed themselves in. And what a mess it was.
I'll just echo a sentiment I've had for years. It's awful when hard-working, talented developers have to suffer because of the decisions of executives. Suits only care about the bottom line, and regardless of how much the devs ask for time or resources, the bottom line is the bottom line. The thing is, CDPR was supposed to be different. Yet they succumbed to their greed. More or less.
They claim they thought the game was in a better state than it was. And since this disastrous launch, there has been evidence showing that the company they hired to do their QA might not have been sincere in their findings. Nevertheless, the game was released in a state unfit for anyone, let alone a company with CDPR's reputation.
Patch after patch the game became less buggy. A lot of people came to terms with the fact that the game they though Cyberpunk would be just wasn't the same as the game the devs envisioned.
And so, months turned into years, with incremental changes. Until CDPR did what they should've done from the start - cut off the previous generation completely. This started with the releases of the Next Gen version, which coincided with the release of 1.5. The game was in a much better state, but still no one was ready to give it the time of day.
Soon enough, something totally unexpected would happen - Cyberpunk would have an amazing anime. Edgerunners was announced before the game's launch, so most people forgot about it by the time of its release. Or, they just didn't care anymore.
CD Project went all out, preparing an update tailored to the anime. 1.6 was the game's biggest patch yet, combined with the amazing reception to Edgerunners, this would prove to be the time with the most eyes on the game since its release. Remember, by this point most people have given up on Cyberpunk - Edgerunners would change everything.
1.6 had the most changes to date. With new apartments and more RP elements, something the community desperately wanted, it proved to be just what the doctor ordered. The game was refreshed, and a lot of people said it was what they expected the game to be on release. While a large portion still refused to acknowledge the game was any different. So, there was some positivity and good will restored, but not nearly enough.
And I doubt it will ever be enough.
The cloud of Cyberpunk's release will haunt CDPR for years to come. They will never be the company they were before its release. You cannot come back from a public shaming like that - ever. But, they can try. And so far, they're doing a good job and restoring their reputation. They started with Phantom Liberty:
Idris freaking Elba dude? Yes. CDPR got another very famous, very liked actor to star in their project. Promising to be their biggest expansion yet, Phantom Liberty was set to redeem Cyberpunk fully.
Phantom Liberty coincided with their release of 2.0. A free update that promised to be the biggest update yet. And do you know what made me most excited about these updates? They weren't coming to the previous-gen titles... At this point, my faith was restored, and I was anxiously awaiting the releases of Phantom Libery and 2.0.
There was one last bump in the road, however. CDPR didn't learn anything from their review policy last time. As such, the review embargos were many and they were strict. This again colored the taste in everyone's mouth sour. Why do this if you were confident in your product? I myself, to this day, do not know why they did it.
The wrath of the gaming community would be on them if they didn't deliver. This was their last chance. 💯
The rest is history. Phantom Liberty itself proved to be as interconnected as the base game should have been. The story, characters, and setting were all praised. The 2.0 update changed the game significantly. Streamlining a lot of the systems.
Many people said this was the game that was promised, while many others remained adamant that it wasn't. I guess depending on your pre-release hype will determine your love for the game. I personally think that Cyberpunk 2077 is a stepping stone. CD Project learned a lot. And I hope that Project Orion, its sequel, is the Cyberpunk experience we all deserve.
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Thank you for reading, you rock! (and maybe roll) 👏👏👏
Shout-out to the 🍕PIZZA🍕 gang, 🤙 gang. 🤙
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I hope you are having an amazing week! 🙌
Return from Cyberpunk - Road to Redemption to Јоцко's Web3 Blog
