Cyberpunk 2077 launched when it did because its devs wanted it “out the door” says CD Projekt Red CEO, but I wonder if he forgot about that reported mandatory crunch
CD Projekt Red joint CEO Michał Nowakowski claims the decision to launch Cyberpunk 2077 was driven by the development team wanting the game “out the door” rather than investor pressure, directly contradicting earlier reports of external deadline pressure. However, this assertion sits uneasily alongside widespread accounts of mandatory crunch during development, which Nowakowski himself references when noting “the team was getting exhausted in a different way.”
Cyberpunk 2077’s December 2020 launch was marred by severe technical problems including widespread bugs, poor performance across platforms, and game-breaking save file corruption. The troubled release prompted refunds, regulatory scrutiny, and significant reputational damage to the studio.
Despite the rocky launch, the game has undergone a substantial redemption arc over nearly six years, with patches and the Phantom Liberty expansion significantly improving stability and reception. CD Projekt Red has indicated this recovery remains incomplete, suggesting ongoing efforts to address the original vision. The CEO’s framing of developer exhaustion as a factor motivating release raises questions about the working conditions and crunch culture that characterized development, complicating the narrative of a purely team-driven decision.