Cyberpunk 2077 Dev: Phantom Liberty Doesn't Erase Rough Launch

CDPR designer Pawel Sasko says Phantom Liberty's success doesn't erase Cyberpunk 2077's disastrous launch, reflecting on three years of the expansion.

Can a game ever truly live down a disastrous launch, even after a stellar comeback? Cyberpunk 2077's redemption arc is long complete, with 2023's Phantom Liberty expansion cementing the RPG as one of this generation's all-time greats. But for CD Projekt Red designer Pawel Sasko, the success doesn't wipe away the memory of the base game's rocky debut.

Reflecting on three years of Phantom Liberty in a lengthy Twitter post, Sasko wrote: "I do not think Phantom Liberty erases the launch of Cyberpunk 2077, and I would never want to tell our story that way." That's a refreshingly honest take from a developer who clearly hasn't forgotten the frustration players felt back in December 2020.

If you were around for that launch, you remember the state of things. After multiple delays, Cyberpunk 2077 finally arrived and was absolutely dragged through the mud. Bugs were everywhere, performance was rough, and the backlash was immediate. CDPR fired off rapid patches and updates to fix widespread technical issues, with the massive 1.5 "next-gen" update marking a real turning point. Then came the Edgerunners update and Netflix tie-in, which sealed the deal, and Phantom Liberty felt like the icing on the cake.

But the initial disaster left a scar. Storefronts offered refunds, and Sony even issued a warning on the PlayStation Store not to buy the game on PS4. That's not something you just sweep under the rug, and Sasko knows it. "Phantom Liberty sold more than 15 million copies by now. I am incredibly grateful for those numbers, but what stays with me most after three years is what making this expansion taught me about directing games, trusting people, making choices meaningful, giving characters space to breathe and accepting the scars that come with making something this difficult," he wrote.

It's a candid acknowledgment that the road to redemption wasn't easy, and that the team learned a lot from the experience. For players who stuck with the game through thick and thin, it's validation that their frustrations were heard. And for CDPR, it's a reminder that even a triumphant comeback doesn't erase the past.

So, what do you think? Does a successful expansion like Phantom Liberty make up for a rough launch, or will that scar always be part of the story? Will you be picking up the game if you haven't already? Let us know in the comments!