For a promising game burdened with a tumultuous launch, Cyberpunk 2077 has shaken off its reputation and enjoyed enduring popularity, breaking numerous records and passing several milestones, the latest of which comes from Steam. Having launched Patch 1.5 and Patch 1.6 for Cyberpunk 2077 aimed to fix most of the game's shortcomings and provide some much-needed quality of life, CD Projekt Red now looks towards the launch of the game's first (and only) expansion pack.
CD Projekt Red's collaboration with Netflix yielded an anime series spinoff titled Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, and much like League of Legend's critically acclaimed Arcane, Edgerunners has undoubtedly played a factor in contributing to the popularity of the game. It's safe to say that Cyberpunk 2077 is in a very healthy spot right now, and there is no better way to cement that than to pass a remarkable milestone.
As of today, Cyberpunk 2077 is the most played single-player game on Steam, sitting on top of juggernaut roleplaying titles such as Path of Exile and Elden Ring. The success of Edgerunners, the release of Patch 1.6, as well as the 50% discount on Steam, makes checking Cyberpunk 2077 out a worthwhile affair for hesitant players who have yet to do so.
Nearly 2 years after its launch, Cyberpunk 2077 is the most played singleplayer game on Steam. from cyberpunkgame
While the present situation of the game is bright, continued post-launch support for Cyberpunk 2077 still remains an uncomfortable question mark for its playerbase. The expansion pack titled Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty will launch in 2023, but CD Projekt Red has made no promises on future content of a similar scale. While many players are hoping that the recent surge in players will have the development team reconsider their current stance, the harsh reality of the situation is that it wouldn't make a great deal of sense from a company standpoint.
Namely, CD Projekt Red is aware of the potential to further invest in the Cyberpunk 2077 franchise, but with its rumored sequel and the next Witcher game both moving onto Unreal Engine 5, the most prudent decision might well be for the developers to focus their efforts into the sequel, and to leave REDengine 4 behind.
Whether Phantom Liberty will represent the final chapter of Cyberpunk 2077's story, the future for the franchise is hardly all doom and gloom. The setting of Night City is ripe for telling new stories, and CD Projekt Red has learned many lessons during the development of Cyberpunk 2077, and one can hope that this wisdom will be carried throughout the development of Cyberpunk 2077's sequel.
Cyberpunk 2077 is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.