With everyone trapped and shackled at home for the entirety of 2020, most people turned to PC and console games for all sorts of fun and entertainment, with even the least likely of individuals to try gaming for the very first time in their life. And at the tail end of last year, Cyberpunk 2077’s long-awaited release was right upon us as an early Christmas gift, but the catch was, it bombed and failed at every expectation anyone had for the game.

Now looking back at how events unfolded, there’s no denying how much of a disappointment the release was for all the gamers waiting for almost a decade, and you could also see a clear dissonance between the public’s view of the game and how critics scored it. And so, today, we’ll be going over the blunders and some timeless pieces of the game that everyone can learn from, both through the lens of business and game development.

Was Cyberpunk Doomed From the Beginning?

From talent selection for the main cast of developers to the marketing strategies employed to kindle the flames for more exposure, it seemed like CD Projekt Red had everything bolted down as far as appearances go. However, little did they know that the seeds they planted right from the start would backfire on them because the extended time spent for development would lead to fans expecting more, and the hype surrounding the title would only amplify expectations.

• Unintended Impact Of Overhyping: The developers’ approach to generating hype around the game was impeccable because it had people from all across the world constantly talking about the title and speculating what the gameplay would be like with the limited teasers, trailers, and snippets they received. In fact, that one stunt for Keanu Reeves remains immortalized as a meme in the annals of history, and it will forever be associated with Cyberpunk 2077. However, this worked as a double-edged sword because the overhyping of the game drove expectations beyond what was realistically attainable, setting themselves up for missing the mark before the game even released.
• The Deceptive Timeline For Development: The first teaser to Cybperunk 2077 came around 2012, and owing to the fact that the game released nearing the end of 2020, those 8-9 years of development deceived fans of a game that was nothing but perfection. In reality, the timeline for development was all over the place, needed much restructuring, and required better cash management strategies for business because it put all the burden on the people making the game.

Gameplay Was Disappointing At Release Date

Apart from the problematic circumstances that the game found itself in before it could’ve been released, the gameplay was also far too disappointing at the release date that it had people screaming at CD Projekt Red for releasing an unfinished game. In fact, the situation devolved into far worse conditions for console players who were extremely bottlenecked and couldn’t even progress with the story.

• Bugs And Crashes Made It Unplayable: You will find countless YouTube videos and Twitch clips of numerous bugs and crashes that were comical at first but subsequently made the game unplayable when it glitched certain missions and prevented the story progression. In fact, it got so bad to the point where Sony made an ultimatum of pulling the game from the Playstation and Xbox also offering refunds.
• Still Rough Around The Edges: What’s worse, even months after the release of Cybperunk 2077 and all the hotfixes and patches to resolve the most glaring issues, the main game is still rough around the edges and far from overcoming immersion-breaking bugs. Therefore, game development teams and businesses must understand that gameplay will always reign supreme, and you must be willing to delay even more instead of making a “Cybperunk” move.

Saving Grace: Breathtaking Visuals And Excellent Worldbuilding

Of course, it wasn’t all bad, and if there were two key points where Cyberpunk 2077 perfected, none would argue about its breathtaking visuals and excellent world-building. There was a certain aura to how Night City looked, and it just kept pulling you in and kept playing, sprinkled with extra lore and stories as you explored. Plus, the choice of OST was also perfect, and the game knew very well how to get you going and pumped to go guns blazing or start a stealth mission. So, the two positives we can procure are just how impactful visuals and worldbuilding can be for the modern gamer.

Overall, the story of Cybperunk 2077 and its infamous release is a testament to the fact that game development is not an easy formula. It has both business perspectives and artistic undertakings that must harmoniously work together if we ever plan on developing a game that will capture the hearts of people.