In news that should surprise absolutely nobody, Cyberpunk 2077 will firmly remain a past-gen title on console, with its proposed Xbox Series X update pushed back in 2022.
Developer, CD Projekt RED always held out hope for a late-2021 release for the Xbox Series X version of Cyberpunk 2077. Many gamers have held out hope for a prompt release of the version, given the currently available console version is in fact the Xbox One version.
Ironically, that version actually perhaps better on Series X, meaning the best way to play Cyberpunk 2077 today is on a console that does not yet have its own version or upgraded version of the title.
A report surfaced overnight, detailing how, “based on recommendations supplied by persons supervising development, it has [been] decided to allocate additional time to both projects,” referring to both Cyberpunk 2022 as well as the Series X update of The Witcher 3.
While the delay of the latter comes as a bit of a surprise, the push back into 2022 of the Series X version of Cyberpunk 2077 is less so.
The game’s launch last December, after almost a decade in development, was met with mixed reviews, with most criticism aimed at the game’s performance, particularly on consoles. The Series X version mostly performed without many issues, but visually it lacked the presentation expected of a late-generation game.
That turned attention over to the Series X version, with claims it would finally offer the version of Cyberpunk 2077 long promised from when the game was first revealed back in 2013.
News of a delay of the Series X version first surfaced in September. Speaking during a recent H1 earnings call, business development manager at CD Projekt RED, Michael Nowakowski, said that the studio simply couldn’t commit to the Xbox Series X version seeing a release this year.
“The target is to release the next-gen version of Cyberpunk 2077 late this year,” he said. “At the same time, keeping in mind the lessons we have learned during the past year and taking into account that this project still remains in development, we can’t say with full certainty that the production schedule will not change.”
If the delay means a better overall game, then it would be worth it. In my review of Cyberpunk 2077, I said that the game’s biggest problem was how it balanced progression and difficulty, something I hope will be address in the Series X version.
