From Catastrophic Launch to Cash Cow: Cyberpunk 2077 Shows How It’s Done.
Cyberpunk has now reached an impressive sales milestone, even surpassing the legendary The Witcher 3 in one key regard.
Cyberpunk 2077 Surpasses The 35 Million Sales Milestone
CDPR has announced that Cyberpunk 2077 has now sold an impressive 35 million copies. For the studio, this milestone represents not only a significant financial success but also a noticeable shift within its own portfolio. Cyberpunk 2077 has become the company’s most important source of revenue and now plays a central financial role in the future of CD Projekt Red.
Another noteworthy point is a direct comparison within the studio. Over a span of five years, Cyberpunk 2077 sold more units than The Witcher 3 did in the same timeframe. This highlights how strong the demand for the sci-fi RPG remained despite its infamously troubled launch, and how much interest the brand continues to generate.
Despite the strong performance of Cyberpunk 2077, The Witcher 3 remains at the top with a total of 60 million copies sold. At the same time, the 35 million sales of Cyberpunk 2077 show that interest in the game has stayed consistently high over the long term, even though its launch was anything but smooth.
From Problem Child To Prestige Project
When Cyberpunk 2077 launched, the disappointment was huge and entirely justified. Calling the release catastrophic would almost be an understatement. The game was riddled with bugs, glitches, and technical issues. On older console generations, it was practically unplayable, even prompting Sony to remove the title from the PlayStation Store altogether.
CDPR, however, did not give up. Over the following years, the studio invested significant effort to gradually turn Cyberpunk 2077 into the game it was meant to be from the start. The first major boost came in September 2022 with the release of the anime Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. The Netflix production was received extremely well by fans and led to a noticeable surge in player numbers for Cyberpunk 2077.
The real turning point came in 2023 with the release of Update 2.0, followed shortly after by the Phantom Liberty DLC. The entire skill tree was overhauled, and core gameplay systems were redesigned. Players no longer had to level specific attributes just to craft items, and crafting results were no longer determined by random rolls. The cyberware system was also reworked and given a much clearer structure. Phantom Liberty further strengthened the game with a dense, standalone story that resonated strongly with players.
The espionage thriller fit seamlessly into the world of Cyberpunk 2077 and expanded the game in a meaningful way. Players once again encountered memorable characters and felt the impact of their decisions throughout the course of the story.
Through this evolution, Cyberpunk 2077 transformed from an industry punchline into one of the strongest role-playing games of its time.
A Comeback Few Saw Coming
Today, the rocky launch of Cyberpunk 2077 feels almost like a distant chapter. The game was improved steadily over the years and gradually regained the trust of many players. Cyberpunk 2077 is not just a success but an example of what a second chance can look like when a studio is willing to earn it. The 35 million copies sold show just how much that effort has paid off and how far the game has come since its release.
What do you think? Have you played Cyberpunk since the 2.0 update? Let us know in the comments!
