Cyberpunk 2077’sredemption arc has been a thing of beauty. It is by far gaming’s greatest comeback story - well, perhaps outside ofNo Man’s Sky- a true testament to the value of hard work and passion. The work CD Projekt Red has put into turningCyberpunk 2077into a genuine masterpiece is nothing short of phenomenal, and it should absolutely be commended for that.Cyberpunk 2077has truly gone from an unmitigated disaster to one of the greatest RPGs ever made, and that’s all thanks to the tireless work of everyone at CD Projekt Red.
That being said, can it end now?Cyberpunk 2077’sredemption arc has been going on since 2020, and it shows no signs of slowing down. While I’m glad it has gone from being one of manygames unfairly hatedto a beloved classic, I have grown extremely fatigued with CD Projekt Red’s approach to its updates, especially its most recent batch. As much as I’m grateful thatCyberpunk 2077is an amazing game now,I would be more than happy for CD Projekt Red to just let it die once and for all.
Cyberpunk 2077’s 2.3 Update Is Disappointing
It’s Yet Another Minor Update
Cyberpunk 2077’smomentous Update 2.0 was the real turning point for the game. While the many updates before it had added some much-needed quality of life fixes and a handful of key improvements, it was 2.0 that added pretty much everything fans had been asking for while overhauling key systems to make them not only functional, but actually fun.Cyberpunk 2077was finally the game it was always meant to be, and everyone was happy. Of course, CD Projekt Red didn’t stop there, instead choosing to releaseeven moreCyberpunk 2077updatesover the past few years.
This culminated in an overabundance of updates, many of which feel extremely similar to one another or are little more than quality-of-life improvements. This is especially true of the recent andextremely disappointing Update 2.3. It is a mismatch of some cool yet not entirely necessary ideas and expanded concepts from the previous update. The photo mode was improved in Update 2.2 and then further improved in 2.3. Car customization was introduced properly in 2.2 and then expanded upon in 2.3. Ostensibly,2.3 felt like DLC for 2.2, which isn’t particularly exciting.
Of course, one shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth, especially asall of Update 2.3’s improvementsare, at the end of the day, extra content that makesCyberpunk 2077even better. However, the problem isn’t inherently thatCyberpunk 2077is getting too many updates - although one has to ask when it will all end - but rather how CD Projekt Red promotes them. Were they treated as minor updates, then perhaps it wouldn’t be such a big deal. However,CD Projekt Red always overhypes each update and, ultimately, consistently underdelivers.
They’re Overhyped And Underdeliver
I will never really understand why CD Projekt Red insists on doing livestreams for each of its minor updates. These updates, which add a handful of new features, get dedicated livestreams, trailers, and numerous social media posts,all of which massively overinflate their overall value. Of course, to some players, the inclusion of a taxi service inCyberpunk 2077is an incredible new addition worth celebrating. However, I suspect that for the majority of us, it will be a cool novelty we’ll likely never use outside of roleplaying, and that is it.
In its defense, CD Projekt Red did confirm afterUpdate 2.3 was delayedhow big it would be, but it had already set expectations too high. When the updates were more substantial, orCyberpunk 2077was still missing major features, livestreams that went into excruciating detail about each new addition made sense. However, now they feel extravagant and unnecessary, especially when a patch notes post would suffice. At the very least,CD Projekt Red needs to stop announcingCyberpunk 2077updates well in advance, as if they’re a major event worth looking forward to.
It’s Okay To Let Cyberpunk 2077 Die
The Game Is Good Enough As It Is
I don’t want to discount the valueCyberpunk 2077’sUpdate 2.3 brings too much. After all,Update 2.3’s amazing new carsdo look genuinely cool, and I’m rather keen on collecting them all whenever I start my umpteenth playthrough ofCyberpunk 2077. Rather,I just feel likeCyberpunk 2077is about as good as it is going to get, and unless CD Projekt Red plans another massive overhaul of the game or has some genuinely groundbreaking new mechanic to add, it is okay to let it die.
CD Projekt Red doesn’t need to overhype minor updates just to upset the community, who still expect major additions akin to those that Update 2.0 introduced.
Cyberpunk 2077’sjourney to its current state has been exciting and novel, but it is time it ended. CD Projekt Red doesn’t need to overhype minor updates just to upset the community, who still expect major additions akin to those that Update 2.0 introduced. Instead, it should focus its efforts on developing the sequel, ensuring that all of these novel features make it into that game so they feel fresh when it releases. After all, the last thing I want to do is playCyberpunk 2077’ssequel and feel as if I’ve already seen everything it has to offer.
