Summary
- CD Projekt Red explains that technology limitations are the reason why Cyberpunk 2077 will not receive a second DLC.
- Despite a rough launch, the efforts of CD Projekt Red in fixing bugs and improving performance have made Cyberpunk 2077 one of the best cyberpunk games.
- CD Projekt Red has decided to abandon its in-house REDengine and use Unreal Engine 5 for all future projects, including a sequel to Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher 4.
CD Projekt Red has recently explained that the reason why Cyberpunk 2077 will not get a second DLC is related to technology limitations. Despite a rough launch, Cyberpunk 2077 became one of the best cyberpunk games out there after being fixed over the years, and many fans are eagerly awaiting more content.
Cyberpunk 2077 had one of the most disappointing launches in recent gaming history, but CD Projekt Red’s efforts in squashing bugs and improving performance in the following months helped the game to shine. The new Phantom Liberty DLC is set to improve the title even more, bringing not only more story content, but also several tweaks, such as overhauling how cybernetic implants work, significantly changing skill trees, and fixing some of the gameplay balance.
Now, CDPR has explained the reason why Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty will be the last expansion of the title. The information was revealed during a recent Q&A with investors, in which the company was asked how many sales could convince the team to make a second expansion. CDPR’s Michał Nowakowski explained that the decision was already made a long time ago, and that it was mostly for technological reasons, as the team has decided to abandon its in-house REDengine to use Unreal Engine 5 for all future projects.
At the moment, CDPR is developing several games, some in-house and others with external studios. Among these projects, there’s a sequel for Cyberpunk 2077, as well as the so-called The Witcher 4. Back in 2022, the studio explained that The Witcher 4 would use Unreal Engine 5 to make it easier for developers to create open-world games. The original REDengine was used by the devs in the creation of The Witcher 2 and in all of the other games made since then, so it was not directly suited for this purpose.
Another recent change that happened in CD Projekt Red concerns recent layoffs. CDPR fired around 100 employees, around 9% of its entire workforce, back in July. According to the studio, comprehensive severance packages were given to all employees, and the layoffs were part of the studio’s reorganization. At the time, the company claimed this was part of an effort to diminish crunch and delays. This year, many other companies also laid off employees, including BioWare, Take-Two Interactive, and 343 Industries. In any case, it remains to be seen whether this may affect the development of future games.
Cyberpunk 2077 is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. The Phantom Liberty DLC will be out by September 26, but only for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
Source: VGC