UPDATE 6-Sony outlaws Cyberpunk from PlayStation Store after bug backlash
TOKYO/ GDANSK Dec 18- Sony pulled Cyberpunk 2077 from its PlayStation Store only a week after its debut amid complaints of glitches in the video game created by Poland’s CD Projekt. Sony’s unusual move is another blow for CD Projekt, Poland’s top video game maker, whose shares have tumbled from a record high last week as fans and game reviewers have voiced concerns.
By Sam Nussey and Anna Pruchnicka
TOKYO/GDANSK Dec 18 (Reuters) – Sony pulledCyberpunk 2077 from its PlayStation Store only a week after itsdebut amid complaints of glitches in the video game created byPoland’s CD Projekt.
The role-playing game, billed as an “open-world,action-adventure story set in … a megalopolis obsessed withpower, glamour and body modification” and featuring Hollywoodstar Keanu Reeves, was delayed three times before its debut.
Sony’s unusual move is another blow for CD Projekt, Poland’stop video game maker, whose shares have tumbled from a recordhigh last week as fans and game reviewers have voiced concerns.
CD Projekt, whose shares fell 12.2% on Friday, said thesuspension was temporary and it was working hard to bringCyberpunk back to PlayStation Store as soon as possible.
The launch of Cyberpunk, where gamers play as mercenaryoutlaw “V”, coincided with people being stuck at home during thepandemic.
While the coronavirus crisis has boosted demand for games,new titles are in short supply, meaning that those that havebeen launched have attracted particular attention.
Several big-ticket games like Microsoft’s ‘HaloInfinite’ have also been delayed due to the challenge ofdevelopers being stuck at home during coronavirus restrictions.
Microsoft said it will offer full refunds to anyone whopurchased the game digitally from the Microsoft Store butdeclined to comment on whether it planned to remove the gamefrom its digital shelves.
Kicinski said in an emailed statement that CD Projekt wasnot in talks with Microsoft about a possible withdrawal of theconsole version of the game from the Xbox platform.
COVID IMPACT
CD Projekt CEO Adam Kicinski said that when Cyberpunk waslaunched the company would have preferred to have fewer bugs,but it did not consider delaying for a fourth time.
He said there had been fewer external testers, as they werenot able to try the game from home as a result of COVID-19.
“We are highly disappointed by the information, which showsthat the game was just not ready to debut in December and thedecision to launch it was a big mistake,” Kacper Kopron, ananalyst at Trigon DM brokerage, said.
CD Projekt has promised to iron out the bugs with updates,with patches due in January and February.
Many of the issues with the game were reported on Sony’solder PlayStation 4 and Microsoft’s Xbox One. The gamers’frustration might have been exacerbated by the shortage ofnext-generation consoles, where the game runs better than onolder ones.
“The game needed another six months of development to fixbugs and polish it. We wouldn’t have liked it but having abetter release than this would have been worth it,” John Vilnis,a gamer from Brisbane, Australia said.
CD Projekt, which gained prominence with its ‘The Witcher’series to become one of Poland’s biggest listed companies, wasexpected to break sales records with Cyberpunk, also launched onGoogle’s Stadia.
Google did not immediately respond to requests for comment.(Reporting by Sam Nussey in Tokyo and Anna Pruchnicka inGdansk; Additional reporting by Alan Charlish and Anna Koper inWarsaw, Supantha Mukherjee in Stockholm; Editing by ChristopherCushing, David Clarke, Alexander Smith and Susan Fenton)