The year 2020 is no stranger to being a challenging year to everyone across the world. Shutdowns to potential death have put the global populace in an unprecedented plight. However, there has always been a silver lining to enjoying a pastime or two in these difficult times. Multiple forms of entertainment, including video games, have been released for our enjoyment to temporarily distract from the stir-crazed quarantine periods. From Doom Eternal and Animal Crossing: New Horizons same day release to Sucker Punch’s banger title Ghost of Tsushima. Even so, perhaps the most anticipated game for this year ids CD Projekt’s upcoming title Cyberpunk 2077.
It is not hard to fathom the excitement that Cyberpunk brings to both the current gen console and planned next gen consoles as well. Cyberpunk 2077 takes the established genre of future dystopia and cranks it up to the max with style, sound, and exploration. A bold claim would consider this game to be the definitive role-playing experience of this year of games. Choosing lifestyles to implement yourself in the story to the in-depth customization of guns, combat styles, cars, and reproductive organs. Cyberpunk 2077’s Night City is a living, breathing ecosystem that entices interested players to get lost in its environment promising a great time to those that enter.
Everything was set for the awaited game to release on November 19th, but tragedy struck when CD Projekt took to twitter stating that the game would be delayed for a third time yesterday. The reasoning was the same as the second delay on September 17th. CD Projekt defines themselves as a publisher that does not release games incomplete or buggy. They strive for perfection to produce the same quality of games as their acclaimed The Witcher series. Albeit delays are the bane of any fan’s existence, it is not the worst-case scenario. In fact, an unpopular opinion would say that this hinderance does not alter the games eventual release.
Delays for video games both AAA and indie developed are nothing new. Multiple series have encountered either minor hiccups or monthly delays that made fans question if the said form of entertainment was going to be released at all. The most infamous delay in video game history belongs to Duke Nukem Forever which was original set to release in 1998. Although that is the most extreme case, AAA games postponing a game is not necessarily a horrible issue. An abundance of games have benefitted from their detour from the initial release date. A prime example would be Naughty Dog’s Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End. Roughly in the same position as Cyberpunk 2077, the fourth title in the Nathan Drake’s series was also delayed three times from its initial release date in late 2015. The many detours in development hell still led to Uncharted 4’s arrival as a stellar hit and winning Best Narrative for The Game Awards 2016.
“A delayed game is eventually good, but a rushed game is forever bad.”
Shigeru Miyamoto
Cyberpunk 2077’s multiple delays are cut from the same cloth as Uncharted 4. Both games are set in an expansive world that offers limitless content for players to enjoy. Naturally both games are accompanied by different genres, but the potential of engaging gameplay and story are prevalent in both titles. Other titles that have benefitted from multiple delays include Persona 5, Team Fortress 2 and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The video game industry from a consumer’s perspective is either witnessing upcoming games being released unfinished with the promise to fix said errors or weathering multiple delays. Obviously not all delays warrant an immediate success, yet the games that release when the publisher is confident of its completion has a better quality than a rushed product.
In the end, Cyberpunk 2077’s third delay stings yet it is not a killing blow to the eventual release. Avoiding future tweets claiming, “No more delays,” would certainly lessen the damage of any future hiccups as well to generate less animosity their fans. Nevertheless, from the initial release trailer to the other multiple trailers showcasing the game, the anticipation levels will surely rise again when December 10th approaches. Although 2020 continues to deliver undesirable news, fans can only have high hopes for CD Projekt’s claim to perfection for their upcoming definitive cyberpunk dystopian experience.
Very well written and pleasing to read, left this sitting open for awhile and came back wondering why I was reading an official game article until I realized it was your blog
Thank you very much for the kind words.