Cyberpunk 2077 landed earlier this month but not necessarily to the reception everyone expected. While PC reviews of Cyberpunk 2077 have been just fine, the PS4 and Xbox One versions of the game have been deemed "unplayable," "broken," and far worse. This, in turn, resulted in a surprising move on Sony's behalf: issued refunds and a complete removal of the game from the store.
Microsoft would somewhat follow suit, instead opting to display a warning on the game's store page. In time, it's likely Cyberpunk 2077 will be brought back to digital stores without the necessary precautions, but Sony's removal of the game compounded with the refunds breaks from the official refund policy on PS4 and PS5 content. It should be noted that some users are upset about refunding Cyberpunk 2077 but not keeping the game, which is the service-industry equivalent of demanding a refund after eating an entire dinner meal, but that they're lucky to even get the refund provided the official policy.
Sony's Refund Policy for PS4 (and PS5)
Cyberpunk 2077 is easily one of the most disastrous launches in recent memory. Sure, the game fails to live up to expectations and is buggier than most, the core tenants of why the game is "broken." But CDPR intentionally prohibited information about the PS4 and Xbox One versions of the game (both of which are playable on PS5 and Series X via backward compatibility) from being revealed before launch. No review codes were given out, the videos released before did not replicate a realistic experience, and there's a massive class-action lawsuit being levied against Cyberpunk 2077. Indeed, with all of this in mind, Cyberpunk 2077's sales have been through the roof.
Refunds may impact that, but it's uncertain how big of an impact that will have on Cyberpunk 2077. Still, PS4/PS5 users are lucky to get a refund given that the official policy would, typically, prevent that from happening. Sony's refund policy regarding digital games is as follows:
You can cancel a digital content purchase within 14 days from the date of purchase and receive a refund, provided that you have not started downloading or streaming it.
Digital content that you have started downloading or streaming, and in-game consumables that have been delivered, are not eligible for a refund unless the content is faulty.
You can cancel your purchase of a season pass within 14 days from the date of purchase and receive a refund, provided that you have not started downloading or streaming any digital content (e.g. game add-ons) included in the season pass.
Streaming is one thing, but once users begin downloading any game, they are not eligible for a refund. Cyberpunk 2077 likely falls into this policy under the "unless the content is faulty" section, but there have been games near as faulty that did not get this treatment. Next time a game launches like this, and unfortunately, there is likely to be a next time, many expect Sony to treat said game like Cyberpunk 2077. However, "unless the content is faulty" is a very broad concept, and as such, there's a good chance Sony may be looking at better defining its refund policy.
If so, it may be more evenly applied in the future; at the same time, it may even limit such a widespread removal and refund confusion to spread. Regardless, Cyberpunk 2077 won't be the last game to be in this shape, and it may go a long way in knowing exactly what to expect next time around.
Cyberpunk 2077 is available now for PC, PS4 (physically), Stadia, and Xbox One, with a PS5 and Xbox Series X version in development.