Cyberpunk 2077 pulled from PlayStation Store after bug backlash

Sony has taken the unprecedented step of pulling the Cyberpunk 2077 game from the PlayStation Store just one week after its much-anticipated release.

A deluge of complaints surrounding bugs on last-generation consoles, such a PS4, were the primary issue leading to its removal from the digital store. 

The dystopian-themed title is one of the most expensive games ever made and spent eight years in development, with production costs reaching an estimated $330million (£245million).

Customers who bought the game after its release date on December 10 through the digital store will be offered a refund, PlayStation said in a statement.   

The dystopian-themed title is reportedly one of the most expensive games ever made with production costs reaching $330million (£245million). But following the December 10 release there were a host of issues which has led to today’s decision to take it off the market

Players have mostly complained of crashes on the older consoles, such as poor frame rates and screen tearing.

The hyped graphics,  one of the game’s main selling points, have also disappointed and the game is said to be prone to crashes.  

Sony’s gaming division SIE said it ‘strives to ensure a high level of customer satisfaction, therefore we will begin to offer a full refund for all gamers who have purchased Cyberpunk 2077 via PlayStation Store.

‘SIE will also be removing Cyberpunk 2077 from PlayStation Store until further notice,’ it said.

On Monday, the Warsaw-based maker CD Projekt RED pledged to fix bugs and crashes happening within the game through two major updates early in 2021 which it hoped would satisfy most players, while also offering to help any customers who wish to seek a refund.

‘Dear gamers, first of all, we would like to start by apologising to you for not showing the game on base last-gen consoles before it premiered and, in consequence, not allowing you to make a more informed decision about your purchase,’ CDPR said at the time.

‘We should have paid more attention to making it play better on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.’

In a note to investors today, the Polish company confirmed the ‘temporary suspension’ of digital sales of the PlayStation version and said it had discussed the refund decision with Sony.

Shares in the firm have plunged by 30 per cent since the game was released.  

Cyberpunk 2077’s release had been delayed twice and CD Projekt RED was forced to add health warnings after one reviewer complained it caused an epileptic seizure.

Last week, the developer said it was looking into a ‘more permanent solution’ to tackle the health risk ‘as soon as possible’.

The delays, which the firm blamed on the coronavirus pandemic and the complexity of creating such a vast world for nine different platforms including Xbox consoles and PCs, sparked a fierce backlash. 

Despite the problems, entertainment rating website Metacritic has given Cyberpunk 2077 a score of 87 out of 100, based on 69 reviews.

In a note to investors on Friday, the Polish company confirmed the 'temporary suspension' of digital sales of the PlayStation version and said it had discussed the refund decision with Sony. Shares in the firm has plunged by 30 per cent since the game was released

In a note to investors on Friday, the Polish company confirmed the ‘temporary suspension’ of digital sales of the PlayStation version and said it had discussed the refund decision with Sony. Shares in the firm has plunged by 30 per cent since the game was released 

Cyberpunk 2077  debuts atop Steam chart  

Cyberpunk 2077 topped Steam’s chart at its premiere on December 10 after eight years in development and multiple launch delays.

The game, which takes place across a hugely detailed futuristic city where players take the first-person perspective of a customisable mercenary outlaw known as V, features Hollywood actor Keanu Reeves as rebel rocker Johnny Silverhand.

It is making a debut when people stuck in their homes due to the pandemic have boosted demand for games but new titles are in short supply as developers working from home find it difficult to adhere to a timeline.

‘This is coming out as a big title with not a lot of competition out there so we do expect it to be pretty big,’ said David Cole, founder of research firm DFC Intelligence.

Severe glitches and bugs to the graphics forced the game to be pulled from the Sony PlayStation store.  

But ratings by gamers on the same site were somewhat less upbeat, with more than 20,500 users giving the game an average score of 7 out of 10.

The main character is the gun-toting ‘V’, who makes his way through Night City – a conflict-ridden American megacity.

The game also features the face and voice of Hollywood star Keanu Reeves, best known for the ‘Matrix’ trilogy and the ‘John Wick’ films.

Metacritic describes the game as ‘an open-world, action-adventure story set in Night City, a megalopolis obsessed with power, glamour and body modification’.

CD Projekt RED rose to global prominence five years ago thanks to its hugely successful ‘The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt’, a sombre fantasy whose monster-slaying hero is endowed with superhuman powers.

‘Cyberpunk 2077 was expected to become a 30m+ seller prior to launch. It could have been delayed another year and still sold more than that easily,’ said Daniel Ahmad, a video game industry analyst at Niko Partners.

‘I don’t think we’ve ever really seen something like this in the industry before… This is the platform holder delisting the game,’ he said on Twitter.

‘It turns out crunching non stop for months doesn’t make a game good. It negatively impacts not just the health of devs (developers), but the game too,’ Ahmad added.

Delays are becoming increasingly frequent in the gaming industry as games get bigger, more expensive and with more people involved.

This year, the coronavirus pandemic has complicated things further, with many studios forced to operate with developers working from home.