A Rocky Start That Nearly Ended It
When Cyberpunk 2077 launched in December 2020, millions of gamers worldwide were waiting for it. Instead of the promised futuristic masterpiece, they received a game drowning in technical problems: bugs, poor performance on old consoles, and harsh criticism from both the press and players. It seemed the project was doomed and its reputation could never be saved.
The Anime Effect: Edgerunners
In September 2022, everything suddenly changed. Netflix released Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, created in collaboration with the Japanese studio Trigger. The anime instantly became a hit, climbed Netflix’s top charts, and gave fans a strong emotional connection to the Cyberpunk universe.
The result was stunning: the number of Steam players nearly tripled, and Cyberpunk 2077 returned to sales charts. Many called it the “Edgerunners Effect” — proof that media outside the game itself can breathe new life into a franchise.
Phantom Liberty: A New Standard
The next big step was the massive Phantom Liberty expansion, released in September 2023. It introduced:
- a brand-new district of Night City — Dogtown;
- a reworked skill system;
- a fresh spy-thriller storyline;
- world-class actors, including Idris Elba.
The DLC earned high praise from critics and players alike, selling over 10 million copies in its first year. On Steam, the active player base surged back to tens of thousands daily.
A Game That Won Back Trust
By 2024, Cyberpunk 2077 had surpassed 30 million copies sold. In 2025, its average monthly player count on Steam remains steady — tens of thousands of active users. This is no longer the broken release of 2020 but a stable, rich experience with expanded content.
What Comes Next?
CD Projekt RED isn’t stopping here. Their plans include:
- a new anime series, Edgerunners 2, expanding the universe;
- the next Cyberpunk installment, codenamed Orion, already in pre-production.
This means the Cyberpunk story is just getting started.
Conclusion
Cyberpunk 2077 went from disaster to one of the most impressive comebacks in gaming history. Thanks to years of fixes, the Edgerunners anime, and the Phantom Liberty expansion, the game earned its second life. Today it’s once again attracting a massive audience and preparing for even bigger milestones in the future of the cyberpunk universe.
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