There’s no denying many were disappointed to hear that CD Projekt Red would be delaying their much-anticipated Cyberpunk 2077 until September 17 of this year. As one of the most hyped titles of 2020, tons of fans were eager to get their hands on it in April. However, good games take time and effort to make.
In a world where developers are often working on unrealistic schedules, and unfinished games are pushed to the market long before they’re ready for release, it’s admirable that one company remains resolute in their chase for a perfect end product. Here are 10 things we can expect after the delay.
10 Balance Changes
Much like any RPG-style game that allows you to create your very own personalized character, Cyberpunk 2077 also gives you tons of customization when it comes to your version of mercenary V. From background to appearance to class, everything’s up to the player.
It’s likely that these character classes will see some balance changes during the extra time that the game took for itself. The Netrunner class in particular has emerged as a very popular early choice among fans, and for that reason there might be some big changes coming in to make other classes just as appealing.
9 Less Developer Availability
Game developers are some of the most hardworking people out there. When a big game is about to hit the markets, the studio will start something called a crunch time. This is a period where developers will spend even more time working on the title, defying the restrictions of a healthy work day.
This is no different for CD Projekt Red. Even with a few extra months available, it’s possible there’s a lot of fixing and polishing to do still. Due to this, the developers might be less available and active on social media as they put all their focus into finishing the product.
8 No Unnecessary Content
Just like movies will get cut and edited to better fit the audiences, games will also get trimmed in order to avoid unnecessarily big game files. Quests that are minor and considered unnecessary will often be removed, and even entire characters might not make it to the final stage.
Cyberpunk 2077 is a massive open-world game. There’s bound to be some content, even things that we’ve already witnessed, which might not make it to the final version of the game. However, this gives more space for content that actually matters and is going to be fun to experience.
7 Minor Changes In Storyline
Pre-release, many games tend to be very mysterious about what their plotlines are in order to protect players and fans from spoilers. Cyberpunk 2077 has been pretty open during its demos about some of the stories and quests that take place, even if some information has been omitted for demo purposes.
Due to this, it’s highly possible that some of the stories and narratives we’ve witnessed in these clips might not make it until the final version at all. This way, we’ll get brand new content that we won’t be able to recognize or expect, making the game a truly one-of-a-kind experience.
6 More Updates
While developers might be busy, the social media team is likely going to be even more vocal about changes and any progress the game will have in the coming months. This is only natural, since people want to know the exact status of a game that has been delayed.
To appease fans, updates will no doubt be more frequent as we inch towards September 17. That way, CD Projekt Red ensures that the hype for the game won’t die down or get stolen by other game announcements that might try to challenge it during spring and summer of 2020-
5 Potential Bonus Items
Developers always value the fans and community, which essentially keeps the game alive. Those who took the chance and pre-ordered the game long before its initial release date are some of the most devoted people out there, and they definitely deserve special recognition at a time like this.
It’s a possibility that for those who pre-ordered and had to experience the delay, the developers will put in an extra gift within the game to show their gratefulness. This could be a cosmetic item V could wear or just any other type of small bonus to acknowledge the support from the community.
4 Better Optimization
When the delay was first announced, a lot of rumors were flying around. Some believed that there were problems of optimization on consoles which needed to be fixed. However, CD Projekt Red denied these rumors, saying there wasn’t a specific problem that prompted them to push the deadline to September 17.
That being said, the developers did state that the game will be polished during this time. This means that no matter what, players will get a better optimized game in general. Whether fans decide to pick Cyberpunk 2077 up on PC or console, they can all expect it to run better than it would have had it been released in April.
3 Eventual Multiplayer
The question of multiplayer mode has been a tough one for developers all around the world. Big titles like The Elder Scrolls have begun to dabble in the art of it, but with mixed results. Cyberpunk 2077 has been careful about giving a clear answer on the matter, probably because much depends on the initial success of the game.
While it’s unlikely that the final version of the game will feature multiplayer or co-op options, there’s a small chance this extra time will allow developers to start planning where in the game this feature would fit. A few co-op missions could be an interesting addition to an open-world title, but require a lot of extra work.
2 Playable Demo Available At Events
As the release date gets nearer, more of the final version of the gameplay will also become available. From clips to actual gameplay demos that players themselves will get to try, there’s bound to be some major content coming out later in the spring and summer of 2020.
Those planning on visiting E3 and Gamescom 2020 might want to look out for CD Projekt Red’s booth, as they might allow players to try the game for the first time. Alternatively, it could be the opposite story: crunch time forcing the studio to opt out of these events and focus solely on development with the time they have left.
1 Well-Polished Game In September
This should go without saying, but it can’t be stressed enough: more time usually means the game will come out bigger and better than ever before. It might mean more waiting and uncertainty among the community, but some of the best games that have come out have always required years upon years of development.
Cyberpunk 2077 is no different. Fans know from The Witcher franchise just how dedicated CD Projekt Red is when it comes to producing beautiful games that run smoothly and have tons of content. Even with a delay, it’s guaranteed the fans will receive bang for their buck once September 17 finally rolls around.
