Though a multiplayer mode for Cyberpunk 2077 was planned, CD Projekt Red offered a vague update during its strategy meeting earlier today. Now, it's possible that the project has been delayed or even altogether canceled.
With so many other necessary patches and fixes for Cyberpunk 2077 still needed to bring the gameplay experience up to speed with what was expected, it wouldn't be surprising to see CDPR ditch the multiplayer mode. While 2022 was the projected release date for the multiplayer mode, CD Projekt hasn't offered many details about what players should expect from it but Cyberpunk 2077 leaks earlier this year detailed something along the lines of a heist mode and deathmatch mode. But now, it's possible that a multiplayer mode may not be coming at all.
In a strategy update, president Adam Kicinski outlines the changes CD Projekt Red is making in areas such as game development efficiency, strengthening internal communication, and adjusting PR campaigns. While the studio didn't have much to say on the multiplayer mode that fans have been expecting to land next year, CDPR says it's currently being "reconsidered." At the same time, CDPR also says that online capabilities will become an important goal for the studio. "We are focusing on bringing online into all of our franchises one day," rather than creating a large multiplayer experience only for Cyberpunk, CDPR states.
But what this means specifically remains a mystery. Previously, CD Projekt Red fell back on the reasoning that Cyberpunk 2077's many glitches and game-breaking bugs were in part due to the pushback of dated technology found in the PS4 and Xbox One, which is why the game runs much more smoothly on PCs and the newest generation of consoles. However, playing the last-gen versions of the game on PS5s and Xbox Series X still finds a number of issues such as crashing and poor AI. With that in mind, it's difficult to imagine a smooth gameplay experience with Cyberpunk 2077's multiplayer, at least on PS4 or Xbox One.
Perhaps this means that CDPR plans to leave behind the previous console generation in regards to a multiplayer mode and focus mainly on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X as the hardware that best handles Cyberpunk 2077's demands. On the other hand, many gamers agree that, if CDPR delivers a buggy multiplayer, it could hurt the studio's reputation even more rather than fix it.
Either way, this recent update from CDPR doesn't provide any insight on Cyberpunk 2077's multiplayer mode other than players shouldn't be surprised to see it delayed canceled in the future.
Cyberpunk 2077 is out now on PC, PlayStation 4, Stadia, and Xbox One, with PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S versions coming later this year.