CD Projekt’s Cyberpunk 2077 Rebounds with Over 3 Billion Zloty in Sales
CD Projekt faced a rocky start with its RPG Cyberpunk 2077 in 2020, encountering numerous issues. However, the game has seen a significant turnaround, bringing in more than 3 billion zloty ($752 million USD) since its release. This information was disclosed in CD Projekt’s latest earnings briefing.
A graph illustrates Cyberpunk 2077’s performance over the years, showing that its best year was 2020 when it generated $1.4 billion zloty ($351 million USD). While sales dipped in 2021, they saw improvements in 2022 and again in 2023. Despite the initial issues, Cyberpunk 2077 managed to sell 13 million copies in December 2020, making it one of the best-selling RPGs of all time. Although many customers sought refunds, the game still had a strong commercial start, leading to substantial bonuses for CD Projekt’s executives.
The 3 billion zloty figure includes sales from the base game as well as its Phantom Liberty expansion. CD Projekt, like other studios, does not reveal specific details about game or marketing budgets. Therefore, while $750 million in sales is impressive, it’s crucial to consider the development and marketing costs to assess the game’s profitability. With Cyberpunk 2077 undergoing a lengthy development process and post-launch improvements, it likely incurred significant expenses.
As of the end of 2023, Cyberpunk 2077 had sold over 25 million copies, with the Phantom Liberty expansion selling more than 4.3 million copies.
Cyberpunk 2077’s Turnaround Story
Following its troubled launch, CD Projekt committed to ongoing updates and improvements for Cyberpunk 2077 to enhance the overall experience. The company delivered on that promise, with the 2.0 update in late 2023 marking a new beginning for the game, attracting new players in the process.
An ultimate edition of Cyberpunk 2077, including the base game and the Phantom Liberty expansion, was released in December 2023.
Future Developments and Partnerships
Given the immense success of Cyberpunk 2077, CD Projekt has shifted its focus to developing a sequel, known as Orion, at its new Boston office. While still in the conceptual phase, Orion is not expected to debut anytime soon.
Additionally, CD Projekt has teamed up with Anonymous Content to work on a live-action Cyberpunk project. Anonymous Content, known for producing award-winning films and successful TV series, brings its expertise to this collaboration, further expanding the Cyberpunk universe.