In two weeks time, we should be exploring Night City with our new best friend Keanu Reeves. Like the majority of gamers, we were pumped to enter the world of Cyberpunk 2077 this month, but once again developer CD Projekt Red has delayed the official release. The third postponement of arguably the most anticipated game of 2020 has resulted in Projekt Red copping a ton of heat from incensed gamers.
The official statement from Projekt Red outlines the reasons for the delay, and to be honest, they all make sense, but this hasn’t placated fans that can’t understand how the game still isn’t ready. First announced way back in 2012, we can see why fans are a little aggrieved about another delay, but some really need to pull their heads in. While most are venting their fury at Projekt Red via social media with angry posts (albeit including some classy memes), others have taken things too far and sent death threats to individuals involved with the game.
While part of us can sympathise with gamers, a passionate and dedicated bunch who’ve been waiting eight long years for this game, there’s no room for intimidation or harassment. The industry has already dealt with a number of toxic incidents over the past few years and we don’t need another one rearing its head. Gamers need to show some respect and a little compassion and take this delay for what it is, an additional three weeks for Projekt Red to deliver the best game of the year. As they succinctly outlined in their statement regarding the latest delay, the reasons for this latest setback are needed to make Cyberpunk 2077 the game we’ve all been dreaming of.
One of the main battles they’ve faced is the need to test nine different versions of the game across all formats, including next-gen consoles the PS5 and Xbox Series X. This is a monstrous task, and while 21 days might not seem like enough time to make any major changes, Projekt Red are adamant these extra hours are vital for a game of this magnitude. It gives their already overworked staff an extra three weeks to fine-tune the game and could be the difference between a buggy release and a smooth running debut. Nobody wants Cyberpunk to struggle on release day, especially us, so Projekt Red delaying the game to prevent this sounds reasonable.
It’s not just getting the game up to scratch for the next-gen consoles that’s pushed the game back. Projekt Red has been putting in the work to fix bugs and tweak the gameplay. As we’ve seen from the countless trailers and promotional clips, Cyberpunk 2077 is a massive, detailed open-world game, unlike anything we’ve ever seen. Constructing this type of universe with hundreds of moving parts and making the game as user friendly as possible takes a shit ton of work, something gamers have to understand. Although it’s true that Cyberpunk 2077 has been classed as “going gold” (meaning it’s complete, can be finished and has all available content), this doesn’t mean it’s ready for sale. Projekt Red has acknowledged the game can be played through, but it’s not without fault. The extra three weeks allows designers and programmers to improve the small things and add some polish. Many of these updates will be applied via the Day 1 patch. The idea behind this is any bugs or glitches encountered on release day will be automatically fixed by this patch, allowing for a smooth gaming experience.
Besides the reasons listed by Projekt Red for this latest postponement, game delays have become the norm in the current environment and are something gamers should be able to come to terms with. Even before COVID hit and caused chaos in the industry, plenty of huge titles missed their original deadline. The Last Of Us Part II and Final Fantasy 7 are two prime examples of games that suffered multiple delays but turned out to be fantastic experiences that sold exceptionally well.
At the end of the day, this latest delay is annoying for sure, but it’s not worth getting your console cords in a knot. There are much bigger issues going on in the world, so waiting a few extra weeks is small fry. Projekt Red’s proven track record of delivering high-quality games (The Witcher 3, anyone?) should make the extra time well worth your while. Like everyone else, we’re disappointed, but we’ll still be lining up at our locals first thing on the morning of December 10 to secure our copy of Cyberpunk 2077. On that day, all this talk of delays and postponements ought to be a distant memory.
