Despite a broken launch and a swirl of negative coverage regarding both the game and its developer, CD Projekt Red's Cyberpunk 2077 sales performed remarkably well in its early days, eclipsing 13 million copies sold by December 20. Cyberpunk 2077 was always expected to sell well before launch, but that was also before consumers discovered that the game was essentially an entirely different experience on PC when compared to its significantly buggier - and at times unplayable - console versions.
What's followed since Cyberpunk 2077's launch on December 10, 2020 has been a study in game developer promises - and what happens when they aren't kept. CD Projekt Red management's decision-making has been questioned by critics, consumers, and even the studio's own staff members, and it's become abundantly clear how much was known about the issues plaguing Cyberpunk 2077 prior to its release date. The situation has become so bad that Sony pulled Cyberpunk 2077 off the PlayStation Store in an unprecedented move, with Xbox expanding its refund policy to help appease upset consumers and CD Projekt Red releasing hotfixes and patches in an attempt to make Cyberpunk 2077 more playable. The studio behind The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt has now seen its reputation significantly damaged, and in the days that have followed Cyberpunk 2077's launch, it seems obvious that the developer's image will take time to repair.
With all of that said, however, it appears Cyberpunk 2077 sales have been incredibly strong in its early days, according to a CD Projekt disclosure to investors. The brief statement outlines how well the game has performed, stating that Cyberpunk 2077 sales eclipsed 13 million copies sold as of December 20, just ten days after the game released. Interestingly enough, the report also states that it does factor in some returns that were "submitted by retail clients in brick-and-mortar as well as digital storefronts," though its unclear how much that number has surged in recent days and where there are potential gaps in reporting.
Still, even if that number dips - and it's a possibility, given how widespread requests for Cyberpunk 2077 refunds have seemed to be now that the game's issues are better known - Cyberpunk 2077 sales are still massive as of this writing. 13 million copies sold is a startling performance, and one that's likely been buoyed by the game's PC-only review period prior to launch, where it received largely favorable coverage due to its performance being significantly better on that platform.
It's also a troubling notion - the fact is, CD Projekt Red has been accused of lying by some prominent video game industry members and its own investors, while console fans have been stuck with an unfinished game since launch. That Cyberpunk 2077 sales are still this good is uneasy territory for consumers, who, alongside virtually everyone else involved, will likely not want to go through a similar launch period again anytime soon. That being said, CD Projekt Red's reputation has been hurt too, and that's the kind of negative that gets measured over spans of months and years rather than in the first few weeks of sales. Cyberpunk 2077 sales are only a part of the story - and it's one that's going to continue evolving as the days go on and more developments in the saga come to light.
Source: CD Projekt