Cyberpunk 2077 multiplayer will be a feature in the game at some point, CD Projekt Red confirmed today, although it won't be something that players will have access to when the game launches. Rumors about the existence of a Cyberpunk 2077 multiplayer option have persisted for pretty much the entirety of the game's development in the public eye, but were stifled somewhat during an early summer interview with lead quest designer Pawel Sasko, who stated that the studio wasn't "really working on multiplayer."
Instead, much of the focus has rightly been on the Cyberpunk 2077 single-player experience, something that will look to surpass the lofty bar CD Projekt Red has set for itself with The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. The Polish studio has decided to innovate on some of the design principles that characterized its previous RPG efforts, with one of the most notable ones being the call to set almost all of Cyberpunk 2077 in first-person. There's also been some controversy stemming from the way Cyberpunk 2077's story handles sensitive subjects like race and gender, although CD Projekt Red got a huge vote of confidence from the man who created the Cyberpunk franchise in the first place, Mike Pondsmith. Pondsmith thinks the game is very much honoring his ideas and treatment of race and gender equality, which has helped mitigate some of the fiery response that previously swirled around some Cyberpunk 2077 reveals.
As it turns out, Cyberpunk 2077 multiplayer was always the plan - just not for launch, which is something fans had already gathered wouldn't be happening either way. CD Projekt Red confirmed on Twitter earlier that multiplayer is definitely in the works, and even posted a job application for staff dedicated to working on Cyberpunk 2077 multiplayer after launch. The sudden confirmation gives fans something to look forward to after Cyberpunk 2077's launch, as the tweet indicates that the plan will be to follow-up launch with free DLC, (presumably) paid single-player content, and then multiplayer after that cycle has wrapped up.
Cyberpunk 2077 multiplayer has the potential to be ground-breaking, as it's not something that CD Projekt Red has ever implemented in their major RPGs before. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is still one of the most beloved titles of all-time in the RPG genre and players are still replaying it despite its 100-plus hour ask. If Cyberpunk 2077 can build a playerbase just as dedicated and then deliver a multiplayer experience that continuously delivers "fresh" gameplay experiences, Cyberpunk 2077 has the potential to surpass The Witcher 3 in longevity.
Of course, that's getting ahead of ourselves. The first thing fans will need to keep an eye on is how Cyberpunk 2077 looks in the build-up to launch, then how well its received as a single-player title. There are a lot of hurdles to jump through before discussion of Cyberpunk 2077 multiplayer as a game-changer can be had in earnest, but for now, it's at least something that CD Projekt Red is committed to bringing its players - eventually, once it has fulfilled its obligations to deliver a compelling single-player campaign first.
Source: CD Projekt Red/Twitter