John Paul M. Joaquin Games 10.20.2022 23:Oct PM EDT

The Surprising Rise of Cyberpunk 2077 From the Brink of Disappointment — How Did CDPR Do It?

In the long history of the video game industry, gamers have seen the rise and fall of video game companies that either couldn't keep up with the changing times or have released one too many failures to keep the company running.

Another trend that recently became prevalent in the industry is the downfall of many much-beloved video game developers due to controversies within or without, as is the case of Blizzard Entertainment with its "frat-boy" culture and BioWare with its so-called "magic," wherein developers are abused to rush a game's development, which led to games like Mass Effect Andromeda and Anthem, per Kotaku.

Both game developers were once beloved by many gamers, with Blizzard developing the much-beloved Warcraft and Diablo franchises and Bioware developing Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Dragon Age Origins.

As much as gamers hate to see beloved game development companies go this way, it is an inevitability due to either greed or too much ambition, which got Polish video game developer CD Projekt Red (CDPR).

Here's the story behind the game that made it one of the developers on less-than-favorable terms with the gaming community.

How To Ruin Goodwill And Reputation 101

CDPR was once regarded as a beacon of hope to the video game industry by gamers worldwide. It developed The Witcher games into what they are now - masterpieces likened to a gift that gives on giving thanks to its top-tier DLCs and content, especially The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt.

The games were so great that then-Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk gave President Obama a copy of The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings just because Tusk likes it that much, per Business Insider.

This event made President Obama say that although he's not very good at playing video games, he does consider it a tribute to the talents and work ethic of the Polish people and a great example of the country's place in the new global economy.

However, everything went downhill for the company when they were developing its latest game, Cyberpunk 2077.

According to Inverse, the company overworked its employees to get the game out to meet year-end financial expectations. It reached a point that some developers were working nights and weekends "for more than a year," per Polygon.

Despite rushing to the gate and numerous delays, the game was launched in such a sorry state that gamers went in droves to their respective stores to refund the game.

The game's launch hurt not only CDPR's stock price but also its reputation and goodwill, not only because it broke its promise that it won't be rushing the game, but it also broke people's expectations for the game.

I Didn't Hear No Bell

Despite losing gamers' faith and trust by the thousands, CDPR persevered. It gradually fixed the game's numerous bugs, which Windows Central listed some of, but it also ramped up marketing and improved the game further with new content.

One important aspect of Cyberpunk 2077's recovery is the release and success of its in-lore animated series "Cyberpunk: Edgerunners" on Netflix. CBR reports that the game saw a huge spike in active players since the anime's release.

Public opinion on the game shifted from overwhelmingly negative to mixed reviews to even positive almost overnight, and it will probably stay that way because David and Rebecca's story will be referenced in a few future easter eggs in-game.

There's also the matter of the upcoming release of its first DLC, Phantom Liberty, which provides players the chance to infiltrate Night City's Combat Zone, a place previously inaccessible to players.

Thanks to "Edgerunners" and upcoming new content that will add more to the game's world and lore, Cyberpunk 2077 has got a bright future in store.

Here's hoping CDPR has learned its lesson by now.