The launch of Cyberpunk 2077 was nothing short of a disaster. Bugs, missing features, and a barrage of online backlash plagued the release, leading to a reception that was described as “absolutely crushing” by the game’s developers. For a team that had previously worked on the critically acclaimed Witcher 3, the failure of Cyberpunk 2077 hit particularly hard, especially for those who were new to the industry and had never experienced such failure before.
In a recent interview, lead developer Pawel Sasko opened up about the impact of the game’s tumultuous launch on the team. He described the development of the Phantom Liberty expansion and the subsequent updates as a form of “group therapy” for the team. The process of working through the issues that plagued the base game was cathartic for the developers, as they tried to navigate through the aftermath of the disastrous launch.
The Road to Redemption
Despite the initial patches that were released to address bugs and improve the game, it wasn’t until the Edgerunners 1.6 update launched alongside the Netflix anime series that things really started to turn around. According to Sasko, the anime served as a better introduction to the Cyberpunk universe than the game itself, and coupled with the previous updates, it gave the team the motivation to believe that they could actually fix the game.
The release of Cyberpunk 2077’s 2.0 update and the Phantom Liberty expansion marked a significant turning point for the game. The team’s hard work and dedication paid off, as evidenced by the game’s ‘Overwhelmingly Positive’ Steam review comeback. The developers were able to prove that they could overcome the initial setback and deliver a product that was well-received by both the players and the critics.
The journey of Cyberpunk 2077 from a disastrous launch to a successful redemption arc is a testament to the resilience and determination of the development team. Through hard work, dedication, and a commitment to fixing their mistakes, they were able to turn a negative situation into a positive one. The story of Cyberpunk 2077 serves as a reminder that failure is not the end, but rather an opportunity for growth and improvement.
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