CD Projekt Red Admits Launching Cyberpunk 2077 in Broken State Was a Mistake

CD Projekt Red joint-CEO Michał Nowakowski has publicly reflected on the troubled release of Cyberpunk 2077 in December 2020, admitting that launching the RPG in its poor technical state was unequivocally wrong. The game's original release suffered severe technical problems, leading Sony to temporarily remove it from the PlayStation Store alongside widespread refund requests. However, Nowakowski pushed back against long-standing speculation that external investors forced the studio to release the title prematurely for financial gains. Instead, he cited complex psychological pressures, developer exhaustion, and operational complications caused by the COVID-19 pandemic as primary factors. Both internal staff and eager fans wanted the game shipped to conclude its grueling development cycle, though hindsight confirms the release decision was a clear misstep.