In a rather surprising turn of events, Cyberpunk 2077, despite its tumultuous initial release, has reached a significant sales milestone. The game, developed by CD Projekt Red, has managed to surpass 25 million units sold, overtaking the sales performance of the company’s former crown jewel, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.

Journey to Success

The announcement of this remarkable achievement was made during the CD Projekt Red Investor Day presentation. CD Projekt Red’s President and CEO, Adam Kiciński, proudly presented these sales figures, emphasizing the resilience of the game and its recovery trajectory since its launch.

What’s particularly noteworthy is the speed at which Cyberpunk 2077 achieved this milestone. The game managed to reach the 25 million sales mark in approximately two years and ten months. In contrast, The Witcher 3 took around four-and-a-half years to achieve the same sales figure. To put this into perspective, by December 2019, The Witcher 3 had clocked in sales of 28 million units, roughly four years and seven months post its launch.

The Impact of Phantom Liberty

The introduction of the Phantom Liberty expansion played a significant role in boosting these sales figures. Within just the first week of its release, the expansion witnessed sales of three million units. The sales data also provides an interesting insight into the platform preference among players. The majority, 68%, of these sales were on PC, followed by 20% on PlayStation 5, and 13% on Xbox Series X and S.

CD Projekt Red also disclosed the investment behind this expansion. The development of Phantom Liberty necessitated an expenditure of approximately 275 million Polish Zloty (equivalent to $62.7 million). Additionally, the marketing activities related to the expansion amounted to about 95 million Polish Zloty (circa $21.6 million).

The arrival of the Phantom Liberty expansion on September 26, bolstered by the foundation of Update 2.0 just a few days prior, significantly transformed Cyberpunk 2077. Players got to experience improved game features, from a revamped perk system to enhanced AI mechanisms. Additionally, the expansion presented closure on various theories and references, from an Elon Musk fan theory to allusions to the renowned racer Ken Block. Interestingly, CD Projekt also incorporated options for players to opt-out of the expansion’s events, with certain dialogues effectively barring access to the missions.

Recognition and Acclaim

The revamp of Cyberpunk 2077, catalyzed by the Phantom Liberty expansion and the 2.0 Update, has not gone unnoticed. Reviewers, including IGN, lauded the game’s transformation, with IGN awarding it a commendable 9/10 rating. Their review highlighted the game’s significant turnaround since its initial release, with acknowledgments to the Cyberpunk: Edgerunners anime spin-off and the pivotal 2.0 Update.

Concluding Thoughts

The journey of Cyberpunk 2077 from its rocky launch to becoming a sales sensation serves as a testament to CD Projekt Red’s commitment to its fan base. Despite initial setbacks, the developer’s dedication to refining the game and introducing expansive updates underscored its resilience and dedication to delivering a quality gaming experience.

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