It’s honestly hilarious that we’re starting off 2024 by talking about the game that CD Projekt Red has spent years trying to fix. But when it comes to Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty, there are plenty of nice things to discuss. This is the only expansion for the game, and CD Projekt Red put everything they had into it so that it could stand on its own while also building upon everything the main game was supposed to offer. Some even went so far as to say that the expansion was “what was originally promised” while delivering a different kind of story. But, as in all things, the results are all that matter.
On the one hand, the reception for Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty was incredibly positive at launch, and that helped bring people back into the fold of Night City. But the next question was, “How many really came back? The answer to that is over five million. CD Projekt Red themselves posted this accomplish on Twitter, thanking everyone who supported them and decided to try their luck in Dogtown:
Hearing this is a good thing for many reasons. First, it showed that gamers were willing to give CD Projekt Red a second chance after the disastrous launch of the main game back in 2020. Second, it proved that positive word-of-mouth still means something that no doubt brought more people into the mix. Third, it showed that the dev team was finally able to showcase what they wanted to give players and listened to all the critiques that had been given since launch.
As for the franchise’s future, a true sequel is in the mix, but whether that one will have a better launch than the original is anyone’s guess. Plus, CD Projekt Red is going back to their OTHER video game franchise that they’re known for to try to build back up some momentum and earn some love from players.
If you haven’t played the futuristic DLC yet, the concept is simple. It’s an extension of the main storyline where V is trying to find a way to get the Johnny Silverhand program out of their head. They’re invited to Dogtown by a mysterious Songbird and are tasked to save the President, who has crash-landed there.
What follows is a game of espionage and tactics as you find out who you can trust and whether going all out for people you’ve just met is worth risking your life over.
