Cyberpunk Developer Somehow Had Its Best Year Ever
It's hard to deny that the December 2020 launch of "Cyberpunk 2077" was anything less than an unmitigated disaster. And, although the troubled title has received criticism for being riddled with technical issues — to the point that it was pulled from the PlayStation Store — it still managed to nab developer CD Projekt Red a ton of money. In fact, the Polish company has moved over 13.7 million copies of "Cyberpunk" in 2020, raking in 2.13 billion PLN — or, approximately $563.5 million (via Gamasutra).
In other words: One of gaming's most botched launches of all time ended up securing its developer its best year ever. How's that for a happy ending?
According to an infographic tweeted by CD Projekt Red, the vast majority of 2020's "Cyberpunk" sales were for the PC and Stadia versions of the game, with Xbox One and PlayStation 4 sales making up less than half of all units moved. It's worth noting that, while the PC version of "Cyberpunk 2077" was by no means a perfect product (and was still missing several promised features), it reportedly suffered far less technical hiccups than its console counterparts. In fact, Screen Rant notably went so far as to call the PC release as "the good version" of "Cyberpunk 2077."
Although "Cyberpunk 2077" turned out to be quite the cash cow for CD Projekt Red, that's not to say that the company's other big IP didn't contribute to its financial success. According to a graphic tweeted by CDPR, the hugely popular "Witcher" series sold over 50 million copies, with "The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt" alone representing over 30 million of those units.
Notably absent from CD Projekt Red's financial reportings, however, is any mention of the many refunds provided to disappointed gamers following the disastrous launch of "Cyberpunk 2077." Just last week, CDPR CFO Piotr Nielubowicz divulged during an earnings call that the company had refunded 30,000 copies of "Cyberpunk 2077." While that number might seem high, it represents a measly fraction of overall "Cyberpunk 2077" copies sold, costing CDPR a mere $2.17 million.
It's safe to say that "Cyberpunk 2077" has been a double-edged sword for CD Projekt Red. While its controversial release initially cost CDPR a whopping $1 billion, these latest numbers are beginning to paint a more optimistic picture for the once-troubled company. Given that CDPR has vowed to continue to improve the quality of "Cyberpunk 2077" in the days ahead, the company's reputation — and finances — can only continue to recover from here.