CD Projekt Red released what was widely considered to be one of the best games of all time with the launch of the Witcher 3, and they’re hoping to follow up on that success with Cyberpunk 2077; but what can we expect from this upcoming title?
Release Date
Moving from the gritty fantasy world of the Witcher 3 to the science fiction, neon world of Cyberpunk 2077 is a bit of a jarring transition, but the team behind the game is made up of the incredibly talented developers that brought us the masterpiece that we continue to play to this day. If Cyberpunk 2077 can capture just a fraction of the magic we saw with the Witcher 3, we’re bound to be in for a treat. But when exactly can we expect the upcoming title?
Essentially, we don’t have a solid release date for the game and nothing major has been announced on that front. We do, however, have recent news that suggests that CD Projekt Red has entered into a marketing agreement with Microsoft. The fact that a marketing agreement has already been signed suggests that the game is pretty far along in development, and that we’ll see the game launching sooner rather than later.
With that said, you shouldn’t get your hopes up for a speedy launch. It’s likely we could wait close to a year before we get our hands on Cyberpunk 2077, but there’s no doubt in our minds that it will be worth the wait.
However, considering CD Projekt Red is developing the game in part due to an investment from the Polish government, 2019 may be the latest they could push it. All of this news combined with the fact that the company stated during an investment meeting that a June 2019 release date was their initial target suggests that somewhere around that window is pretty likely.
Long story short, you should expect a release date somewhere in 2019. A 2018 release date would be incredibly ambitious given what we’ve seen from the development thus far, but considering that marketing agreements are already being signed it’s certainly a possibility we could see the game sometime near the end of the year.
Format
Unfortunately, we don’t know a whole ton about the gameplay either. While we’re aware of the setting and we’ve seen a few trailers, details as to the specifics of storyline or gameplay have been few and far between.
What we did see with the trailers, however, was a beautiful futuristic setting that should be a joy to explore. We saw something dark, dangerous, and visually stunning that should allow CD Projekt Red to transfer the success of the Witcher 3 and its flawless worldbuilding into a brand new environment that is far-removed from what we’ve seen in the studio thus far.
One of the most significant things we know about Cyberpunk 2077 so far is that it will be a single player game first and foremost – a welcome revelation from the fans of the Witcher 3 who praise its excellent single-player experience. With how successful online modes like GTA Online have been both financially and critically, it’s easy to see why studios may have wanted to emulate that sort of format. CD Projekt Red has been pretty committed to providing a robust single player experience in the past, however, and it’s clear that that same commitment is being transferred over to Cyberpunk 2077 as well.
Also refreshing is that the game will be full-price with no additional microtransactions. There’s been a recent trend from publishers like EA to start charging for “loot boxes” or the like – even after charging full price for a title. The fact that the Cyberpunk 2077 experience won’t be marred by such practices is good news for fans of the studio.
We also know that it will be featured on Steam. Many people were speculating whether the PC release would be exclusive to the GOG platform, but a presentation from studio CEO Adam Kiciński at the Securities Gaming Seminar confirmed that the title would be released on other platforms – including, we assume, Steam. Having the game prominently featured on the world’s largest gaming platform will no doubt help sales – although Cyberpunk 2077 shouldn’t suffer on that front if the quality is anywhere close to that of the Witcher 3.
Scope And Features
One thing we do know about Cyberpunk 2077 is that it’s going to be bigger than the Witcher 3 – an impressive feat considering the game features literal hundreds of hours of gameplay when you include the equally-robust DLC. Artist Jose Teixeira said in an interview with MCV back in 2015 that the game was going to be “far, far bigger” than anything the studio has ever accomplished.
The fact that the game will be that big makes us wonder if it might actually be one of the biggest games released in the past several years. The Witcher 3 is already chock full of content and many people struggle to finish the game without being sidetracked by the numerous quests that branch off from the main story. The world of Cyberpunk 2077 may truly feel like a world in and of itself – with a size and depth that we haven’t seen thus far.
The game has been confirmed to take place in a setting called Night City, which will be huge, filthy, and infested with drug problems. The game – like many others in the Cyberpunk genre – will feature a huge wealth disparity, with that aspect likely driving a lot of the conflict behind the game as the little people struggle against massive corporations. Desperate to escape their reality, citizens of Night City engage in an addictive escape called Braindance which allows them to feel both mentally and physically like they’re someone else.
You’ll play a young man rising up from the depths of society in an attempt to make a name for himself, and the story will likely follow his battle against his place in society.
Overall, this is about everything we know about the game thus far. CD Projekt Red has confirmed some multiplayer features and online functionality, but has also stressed that Cyberpunk 2077 will primarily be a story-driven, single-player experience – leaving us optimistic for a game that meets or exceeds the massive successes of the Witcher 3.
