While CD Projekt Red released a new patch for the PlayStation 4 version of Cyberpunk 2077 on Friday, it did not fix some of the major problems it was meant to solve. This will likely only increase the tension between the game's developers and Sony, following Sony delisting the game's digital version.
Perhaps one of the most highly-anticipated games of all time, Cyberpunk 2077 disappointed many when it released on December 10th. On PC, the game was generally playable, but filled with annoying glitches that detracted from an immersive experience. Unfortunately, anyone playing Cyberpunk 2077 on a base PS4 or Xbox One discovered the game was nearly unplayable, with poor graphics, an abysmal frame rate, and frequent crashes. On its end, CD Projekt Red promised the game would perform better on these consoles through upcoming patches.
As confirmed by Push Square, the latest 1.05 patch does not solve the PlayStation version's frequent crashes. Although the new Cyberpunk 2077 patch resolves many progression bugs, the game still seems to crash after less than two hours of play. This leaves players at the mercy of the game's auto-save system, as they have to hope the game auto-saved shortly before the crash. Frustratingly, crashes seemingly happen most often when players enter busy areas of Night City. This typically coincides with the climax of some kind of mission or side-quest, meaning the game crashes right when players are just getting to something exciting.
The continued crashes are especially unfortunate because the relationship between CD Projekt Red and Sony is currently somewhat strained. After confessing that it hid the base PS4 version of Cyberpunk 2077 from the public before its release, CD Projekt Red encouraged PS4 owners to ask Sony for a refund. Sony responded by opening a special website dedicated to refunding copies of the game, and removed the game from the PlayStation Store altogether. This means that no one can purchase the game digitally on PlayStation until Sony deems its issues are fixed. As the crashes persist, Sony will likely not yet agree to list the game again.
This is likely frustrating for PS5 owners in different ways than for PS4 owners. Although the game runs much better on PS5 than on PS4, it is missing all sorts of next-generation PlayStation 5 optimizations that owners have come to expect from major multi-platform releases like Assassin's Creed Valhalla. While a PS5 version will eventually come as a free upgrade, it is still a PS4 game for now. Putting up with crashes in a previous-generation version of a game may leave Sony fans wondering why they purchased a PS5 in the first place.
On the bright side, some of the game's glitches actually work in the player's favor. For instance, a recently-discovered Cyberpunk 2077 item duplication glitch gives players the chance to quickly farm Eurodollars, the game's currency, by means of duplicating high-value items. Another glitch allows players to rapidly max out V's Athletics stat. Of course, players would likely prefer to play the game without crashes, even if it meant these exploits were no longer available.
Cyberpunk 2077 is available on PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One. It will release on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S in 2021.
Source: Push Square