Recently, the highly anticipated Cyberpunk 2077 was hit with another delay, with CD Projekt RED confirming (not long after the game went gold, in fact) that it will release three weeks after its planned November 19 launch. The primary reason cited for the delay was needing a bit more time to properly optimize the game for every single device it’s releasing on, and recently, the developer elaborated that on a little bit.
Speaking in a teleconference held after the delay’s announcement (via PAP Business), CD Projekt CEO Adam Kicinski said that the studio could have released the game on November 19 as planned, but decided to delay it to make various fixes.
“The decision was not easy but we know there is just one release and the first impression is crucial,” Kicinski said. “Better initial reaction to the game always works in favor of more sales. That is why we are delaying, we don’t have to but having this extra time gives us more certainty that everything will be in the game when we release.”
He added that the game is currently ready to go on PC and plays well on next-gen consoles (on which it will be playable at launch via backward compatibility, with proper next-gen versions coming next year).
However, optimization work on the game’s PS4 and Xbox One versions is still being done, which would suggest that CD Projekt RED weren’t happy with how the game was running on current-gen consoles and needed additional time to get it up to snuff.
CD Projekt RED are a studio that have been notorious for their issues with crunch, and those issues have emerged once again with Cyberpunk 2077. Prior to the delay, the developer mandated crunch until the game’s launch, while just recently, we have heard reports that some employees at the studio are even working 100-hour weeks.
Cyberpunk 2077 is out on December 10 for PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Stadia. Dedicated next-gen versions will be releasing some time in 2021. Recently, it was confirmed that Cyberpunk 2077 won’t be eligible for The Game Awards 2020, with the game’s new release date being past the cutoff date for this year’s show.