Cyberpunk's Future Looks Brighter Than Ever After New Reveal

CD Projekt Red celebrates a major milestone while a stunning Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Season 2 trailer reignites excitement for the franchise and fuels anticipation for Cyberpunk 2.

Cyberpunk 2077 has achieved another milestone, officially selling over 40 million copies globally, solidifying its status as one of the most amazing comeback stories in modern gaming. It’s a stunning turnaround for CD Projekt Red’s ambitious RPG, which went from one of the most controversial releases in gaming history to one of the industry's biggest success stories.

The game sold quite strongly at launch in 2020. It launched with a host of technical problems, considerable criticism, and enormous refund requests, especially on last-gen consoles. Despite the difficult launch, CD Projekt Red stuck with the title, delivering years of updates that culminated in the game-changing 2.0 redesign and the critically acclaimed Phantom Liberty expansion.

The argument by many players and reviewers alike is that Cyberpunk 2077 should’ve been released in this polished state, and that critique still stands.

But few can argue with the scope of the developer's long-term commitment. With regular updates, gameplay improvements, performance tweaks, and new material, the game slowly regained its reputation among returning players and newbies alike. The renewed interest in the game has also put a spotlight on the hazards of expecting too much from major releases.

Cyberpunk 2077 launched to a huge amount of fanfare, and a lot of people were expecting it to be a game-changer for gaming as a whole. It’s understandable why there was disappointment at launch, but the title has since matured into the game many dreamed it would be. Even after its difficult launch, opinions remained divided about the PC version.

Some level of technical difficulties occurred across all platforms, but some gamers felt the criticism was over the top, calling the game one of the worst launches ever. But over time, extensive revisions have significantly shifted that narrative. Cyberpunk 2077 is much nicer to play now. The Phantom Liberty addition has received much acclaim, the PlayStation 5 Pro upgrade has provided another technological boost, and the Nintendo Switch 2 version has also been praised for its outstanding performance.

With 40 million copies sold, the game's momentum seems unlikely to slow down anytime soon. Within the industry, many predict sales will eventually top 50 million copies, especially as ongoing reductions continue to bring in new players. Interest is also likely to spike when CD Projekt Red formally reveals Cyberpunk 2, bringing back veterans to Night City ahead of the sequel’s arrival.

That increased passion may be seen in the recent Steam activities.

Cyberpunk 2077 has just hit a record low price of $17.99, and the full game, including Phantom Liberty, is now cheaper too. This comes amid increased buzz over Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Season 2, which has helped to lift the franchise’s appeal. It’s been out for nearly six years, but Cyberpunk 2077 still has a good number of players interested.

The game has continuously maintained over 50,000 concurrent players on Steam – impressive stuff for a single-player RPG that came out years ago. That figure has grown in recent weeks to about 85,000 to 87,000 concurrent gamers - a testament to the game's staying power. These numbers aren’t yet the massive highs of the 2.0 update and Phantom Liberty debut, when player numbers were above 250,000, but they still show remarkable staying power.

Cyberpunk 2077 had more than one million continuous players at launch, and the fact that it’s still so strong years later is a testament to how far the public's view has come. From there, it went from an iconic launch fiasco to one of the most enduring single-player experiences out there today.

Many of the veteran fans now believe that Cyberpunk has even more long-term promise than CD Projekt Red’s celebrated Witcher franchise. While The Witcher is one of the most beloved fantasy series in gaming, the futuristic setting of Night City offers a huge opportunity for fresh narrative, tech, and gameplay advancements.

While Cyberpunk 2077 isn't without its flaws, some criticism of the pacing and late-game story, many feel the original game laid the groundwork for a far better sequel.

Little has been revealed about the project from CD Projekt Red, but expectations are already running high for Cyberpunk 2. For now, The Witcher 4 is still the studio’s major concern, and there are plans for a brand-new Witcher trilogy in the future years. That development timeline raises the question of when Cyberpunk 2 might really be released. Many believe The Witcher 4 will arrive around 2028, and fans are wondering whether Cyberpunk's next entry could land between significant Witcher releases later in the decade.

After the rocky launch and eventual redemption of Cyberpunk 2077, trust in the sequel is high, regardless of how long it takes. Many believe the next title might be a full realization of the massive promise that the original game simply hinted at.

On top of the sales milestone, Cyberpunk fans were also treated to a significant surprise with the first trailer for Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Season 2. The teaser has been well praised for its gorgeous animation, dynamic pacing, and strong soundtrack. The teaser features Rico Nasty’s “You Can’t Run From Me,” and has been praised as one of the best anime preview trailers released in years.

While the first season is well known for its emotive storytelling and gut-wrenching ending, the new season will feature an independent story.

It makes it accessible to novice players but also gives veteran fans another jaunt into the brutal realm of Night City. One of the series's greatest talking points is a new character named D, who has already drawn comparisons to Naruto's Sasuke Uchiha for his looks and past. Fans were quick to draw parallels between his design and his goal for revenge. D is portrayed as a Snake Nation netrunner seeking the killer who wiped out his clan. It has become one of the most talked-about aspects of the trailer in gaming and anime circles, whether by design or by happy chance.

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Season 2 is coming to Netflix this fall, and expectations are sky high given how successful the original series was. Many fans also saw the first season as helping to redeem Cyberpunk 2077's reputation, leading many viewers to return to the game ahead of the 2.0 update and the Phantom Liberty expansion.

With Cyberpunk 2077 selling over 40 million copies, player numbers are climbing again, Cyberpunk 2 is under development, and Edgerunners Season 2 is creating huge buzz, the franchise seems more powerful than ever. What started as one of gaming's biggest cautionary tales has become one of its most stunning redemption stories, showing Night City still has plenty of life left in it.