Following the release of Cyberpunk 2077, CD Projekt Red has had something of a tough time. Between the remarkably poor reception to the game's unfinished state and the cyberattacks that the company faced in February, it seems like the timeline that the studio gave for what players can expect from the game in 2021 has been somewhat scrapped. While plenty of hard work has been done to the title to get in better condition, there's still a long way to go until it's complete and, since there's been no word on the upcoming free story DLC for the game, it feels like the future of Cyberpunk 2077 is up in the air.
The first DLC to release for Cyberpunk was underwhelming, to say the least. It only consisted of a small handful of cosmetics and didn't alter the game in any meaningful way, but fans are still hoping to hear about the story DLC that was promised to be coming out at some point later this year. While it might be a tough pill for both fans and CD Projekt to swallow, it might make the most sense to publically delay the story DLC until the summer of 2022, even if it's ready within the next several months.
The Next Six Months in Gaming
It's no secret that the next six months are pretty stacked when it comes to video game releases. The final three months of 2021 are seeing some of its most anticipated titles with games like Halo Infinite, Call of Duty: Vanguard, Metroid Dread, and Forza Horizon 5 all releasing within the relatively small Holiday window. If Cyberpunk 2077's DLC packs were to release at any point in 2021, there's likely going to be something bigger than it overshadowing the release.
If CD Projekt was to hold off until early 2022, the game would be in a similar situation with games like Elden Ring, Pokemon Legends: Arceus, Horizon: Forbidden West, and Dying Light 2 all competing for the spotlight. It just doesn't seem like there's a lot of extra space for Cyberpunk to exist in and see a successful launch of its first major story expansion. The problem is, Cyberpunk 2077 probably could have competed with most of these titles before it was initially released, but the reputation it has now means that it's going to take a lot for players to want to return to the fluorescently lit world of Night City.
There's a Lot Riding on Cyberpunk 2077's DLC
Because of how rocky Cyberpunk 2077's initial launch was, the first major DLC is going to make or break the game for many people. If it fails to impress, then many of the fans who were willing to wait to play it until CD Projekt could patch out a lot of its issues will likely stay away for good. If it's going to be the start of Cyberpunk's redemption story, then all eyes need to be on the DLC when it releases, serving as something of a soft re-launch for the title. That can't be done unless the release window surrounding it clears up a little bit.
By waiting until Summer 2022 to launch the DLC, CD Projekt Red could put itself in a position to make Cyberpunk 2077 the biggest at the time when it releases as so much of the gaming calendar for next year is still up in the air. What's more, delaying the DLC could give the team the time it needs to truly polish the experience. Anything that CD Projekt releases in the next few months is going to be under heavy scrutiny because of Cyberpunk's issues, so its next major expansion needs to be as solid as it can possibly be to ensure the franchise's future success.
Cyberpunk 2077 is available now on PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One with PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions in development.