Cyberpunk 2077 has undergone a remarkable transformation, evolving into one of the premier role-playing games available today. However, its initial launch was far from successful. While the game performed reasonably well on PC, it was plagued by a multitude of bugs and glitches. The situation was so dire on the PlayStation 4 that Sony took the unprecedented step of removing it from the PlayStation Store entirely. Even after its eventual reinstatement six months later, a cautionary notice accompanied the game, warning potential buyers of its ongoing issues.
Lessons Learned from Ambition
In a recent conversation with Game Developer, Michał Nowakowski, co-CEO of CD Projekt Red, reflected on the ambitious vision that led to the game’s rocky start. The studio prioritized developing Cyberpunk 2077 for PC, aiming to push the boundaries of cinematic experiences. “We wanted to push the boundaries of what is doable in terms of cinematic feeling and whatnot [in Cyberpunk 2077], and PC was just the best suited rig for that,” Nowakowski explained. This approach fostered a misguided belief that scaling down the game for current-generation consoles would be a manageable task.
Nowakowski acknowledged that the studio had enjoyed some fortunate outcomes with their previous title, The Witcher 3, which contributed to their confidence that Cyberpunk would ultimately succeed as well. However, the reality proved otherwise, and the fallout from this experience has left a lasting impression on the team.
A New Approach for The Witcher 4
With the lessons learned from Cyberpunk 2077 firmly in mind, CD Projekt Red is taking a more cautious approach to the development of The Witcher 4. The studio is committed to ensuring that the new installment runs smoothly across all intended platforms. Should any issues arise during development on a specific platform, the team will prioritize addressing them before moving forward, rather than postponing fixes for later.
“For example, technically, we should hit, let’s say, 10 checkmarks,” Nowakowski elaborated. “Back in the past, if we missed one or two, we were like, ‘we’re gonna catch up with that later on.’ Sometimes we did, but sometimes we didn’t, and then two milestones or three milestones down the road, you have like four or five missing checkmarks and it’s not that easy.” This time around, the studio is targeting a release for 2028, with a renewed focus on quality and stability.
