In a brief video statement released earlier today, CD Projekt Red co-founder Marcin Iwinski confirmed that Cyberpunk 2077’s next-gen update will arrive in the second half of 2021. In the meantime, the developer will focus on fixing the ongoing technical problems that have troubled the Xbox One and PS4 versions of the game for many players.
Cyberpunk 2077 is already playable on next-gen systems through backward compatibility, but an official version of the game for the Xbox Series X and PS5 has not been released. Major controversy still circulates around the current console versions of Cyberpunk 2077, as the technical issues are so numerous and game-breaking that many players have said the game is nearly unplayable on the Xbox One and PS4. The game runs noticeably better when played on the PS5 or Xbox Series X, though it is still prone to glitches and occasional crashing.
Iwinski apologized for Cyberpunk 2077’s poor quality on consoles and added that CD Projekt Red plans to release several updates to fix the ongoing problems before releasing free DLC content and the official next-gen versions of the game. He said players can still expect the free next-gen update for Cyberpunk 2077 to release before the end of 2021. “We are aiming at the second half of the year,” Iwinski said.
Slating the next-gen upgrades for the second half of the year gives CD Projekt Red a considerable amount of time to address the technical errors on the current console versions. Iwinski said that the “main culprit” behind the problems with the console versions is the limited bandwidth that the PS4 and Xbox One have. Both consoles released in 2013. CD Projekt Red has already released three “hotfixes” for the console versions, and Iwinski said that players should anticipate additional updates in the next few months to fix the technical issues.
The next-gen upgrades will be more than just a port, as CD Projekt Red has said that the upgrades will take full advantage of the Xbox Series X and PS5’s technological capabilities. If this is true, the upgraded versions will likely be a vast improvement over the current console versions of the game with higher frame rates, faster load times, and ray-tracing technology. A proper upgrade might also make the game more immersive through the PS5’s haptic feedback controllers, though CD Projekt Red has not confirmed if the PS5 version will make use of the technology.
Iwinski did not specify what free DLC content CD Projekt Red has planned, but it’s a safe bet that it will be similar to the free content that the developer released after the release of the Witcher 3, which included new clothing sets, hairstyles, and quests. The free DLC will release prior to the next-gen updates. Some fans have also speculated that the free DLC may be content that was cut from the release version of Cyberpunk 2077 due to time constraints.
Cyberpunk 2077 is out now for PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One. Next-gen upgrades for the game will arrive in the second half of 2021.