Developers frequently set public deadlines so fans have an idea of when to expect fresh content, but this ultimately doesn't pan out every time. Oftentimes, developers delay a game to add extra content or simply because it needed more time in development before it was truly playable. Cyberpunk 2077 is a clear example of a game that should have had another delay, since its launch was a buggy disaster for developer CD Projekt Red. But, looking at things with a glass half full, the games industry could see positive repercussions from Cyberpunk 2077's bad launch.
It's not like Cyberpunk 2077 had a particularly short development cycle: The game was in development for close to a decade, which is more than the average Legend of Zelda title. The public knew about the game since the PS4 and Xbox One were brand-new, and yet it failed to meet its gargantuan expectations. Cyberpunk 2077 was riddled with glitches, especially on the original PS4 and Xbox One models, which could hardly play the game at all.
Cyberpunk 2077 is certainly more playable on PC than its console counterparts, but that version is not without its problems, either. Glitches are still common, and players' save files are sometimes at risk of becoming permanently corrupted. The game was flat-out removed from the PlayStation Store, and buyers can receive a full refund from both GameStop and PlayStation. CD Projekt Red recently became the subject of a Cyberpunk 2077 class-action lawsuit, since the advertising of the game left out its unstable nature. Perhaps future AAA game launches can learn from CDPR's mistakes.
How Cyberpunk 2077's Launch Provides Insight (At CDPR's Expense)
Overnight, the reputation of CD Projekt Red tanked considerably. The studio might have sold plenty of copies during Cyberpunk 2077's launch, but the game has been removed from an entire platform's app store, and multiple retailers are offering full refunds. As if these weren't bad enough, lawsuits are likely the last thing the studio wants to deal with. But the failure of Cyberpunk 2077 and CD Projekt Red sends a message to the rest of the gaming industry: Avoid this kind of launch strategy.
The entire gaming industry has witnessed a video game launch gone as awful as it could, and it will set a precedent for the future. It's become clear that neither consumers nor the retailers handling a game's distribution will accept a product in a state as broken as Cyberpunk 2077. As disappointing it must be for gamers who patiently waited for this game to release, other developers will likely look back at Cyberpunk's launch and think twice before releasing a game that isn't ready yet. For all of Cyberpunk 2077's problems, at least it will motivate other developers to make sure their games are released in a more stable state.