History of Cyberpunk 2077 in Timeline
Cyberpunk 2077, developed by CD Projekt Red, is an action role-playing game set in the dystopian Night City, California. Players control V, a mercenary who becomes linked to Johnny Silverhand, a rockstar and terrorist whose consciousness is stored on a bio-chip implanted in V. The game follows V and Johnny's struggle to separate their intertwined consciousnesses and save V's life. Based on Mike Pondsmith's Cyberpunk tabletop game series, the game explores themes of transhumanism, corporate power, and the value of humanity in a technologically advanced world.
1982: Inspiration from Blade Runner
In 1982, Blade Runner was a key source of inspiration for the art design team for Cyberpunk 2077 when designing Night City, with Sakakibara referring to the movie as the "Bible of all cyberpunk".
1994: Inspiration from System Shock
In 1994, System Shock was a source of inspiration for the art design team for Cyberpunk 2077 when designing Night City.
1999: Motion Capture Used in The Matrix
In 1999, Keanu Reeves had previously used motion capture technology for his performance as Neo in The Matrix. This process was later used to record his performance in Cyberpunk 2077.
2000: Inspiration from Deus Ex
In 2000, Deus Ex was a source of inspiration for the art design team for Cyberpunk 2077 when designing Night City.
2000: Crimson Skies Release
Mike Pondsmith's experience at Microsoft developing games such as Crimson Skies (2000) provided valuable wisdom to CD Projekt Red.
2001: Blood Wake Release
Mike Pondsmith's experience at Microsoft developing games such as Blood Wake (2001) provided valuable wisdom to CD Projekt Red.
2005: The Matrix Online Release
Mike Pondsmith's experience at Monolith Productions developing The Matrix Online (2005) provided valuable wisdom to CD Projekt Red.
2007: The Witcher Release
Polish writer Andrzej Sapkowski showed indifference towards the studio during the development of The Witcher in 2007.
2011: The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings Release
In early 2012, CD Projekt Red sent Mike Pondsmith a copy of The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, which was released in 2011.
May 2012: Cyberpunk 2077 Announced
In May 2012, Cyberpunk 2077 was officially announced.
2012: Initial Development Begins
Preliminary work on Cyberpunk 2077 began in 2012 following the release of The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings Enhanced Edition.
January 2013: Trailers Released
In January 2013, trailers for Cyberpunk 2077 were released.
2013: Initial Development with REDengine 3
In 2013, Cyberpunk 2077 started development using REDengine 3. However, CD Projekt Red faced challenges because the game used a first-person perspective, unlike the third-person perspective used in earlier REDengine iterations.
2013: Cyberpunk 2077 Teaser Receives Golden Trailer Awards Nomination
In 2013, Cyberpunk 2077's teaser trailer was nominated for a Golden Trailer Award in the Best Video Game Trailer category.
2013: Soulkiller Creation
In 2013, Johnny's girlfriend Alt Cunningham created Soulkiller, an AI that transfers minds into cyberspace but destroys the brain.
2015: Steam Concurrent Players Record
In 2015, Cyberpunk 2077 doubled Fallout 4's record of concurrent players on Steam.
2015: Inspiration from Mad Max: Fury Road
In 2015, Mad Max: Fury Road inspired one of the cars in Cyberpunk 2077.
2015: Quest System Changes Compared to The Witcher 3
In 2015, the quest team implemented game logic that allowed players to undertake quests in seemingly random orders while remaining coherent. They also doubled down on "quest twists" from The Witcher 3, and unused parts from the main story were turned into side quests.
2016: Development Start Date
According to discussions with CD Projekt developers, the bulk of Cyberpunk 2077's development only began in late 2016.
2017: Continued Work on REDengine
As late as 2017, CD Projekt Red continued to work on REDengine throughout Cyberpunk 2077's development cycle. This was also the final game to use REDengine, with future games from CD Projekt Red instead using Unreal Engine 5.
July 2018: Keanu Reeves Approached for Johnny Silverhand Role
In July 2018, CD Projekt Red approached Keanu Reeves for the role of Johnny Silverhand in Cyberpunk 2077.
2018: Cyberpunk 2077 Garners Awards at E3 2018
At the 2018 Electronic Entertainment Expo, Cyberpunk 2077 received over 100 awards, including Best Game, Best Xbox One Game, Best PC Game, Best RPG, and the People's Choice award.
2018: Game Confirmation and Platform Announcements
In 2018, Cyberpunk 2077 was confirmed for Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
June 2019: Cosplay Competition Held
In June 2019, CD Projekt Red held a cosplay competition for Cyberpunk 2077.
June 2019: Cyberpunk 2077 Pre-Orders Top Steam's Best-Seller List in China
In June 2019, Cyberpunk 2077's pre-orders quickly climbed to the top of Steam's best-seller list in China.
August 2019: Stadia Announcement
In August 2019, it was announced that Cyberpunk 2077 would also be released on Stadia.
2019: E3 2019 Awards
In 2019, Cyberpunk 2077 was highly discussed and received awards at E3, including Best of E3 from GamesRadar+, PC Gamer, Rock Paper Shotgun, Ars Technica, and Best Game from IGN, among others.
2019: Cyberpunk 2077 Wins Golden Joystick Awards for Most Wanted Game
In 2019, Cyberpunk 2077 won its second consecutive Golden Joystick Award for Most Wanted Game, continuing the trend from 2018.
2019: Initial Release Date Announced at E3
In 2019, at E3, the initial release date of Cyberpunk 2077 was announced for April 16, 2020.
April 2020: Funko Pops Obtainable
In April 2020, Funko Pops based on Cyberpunk 2077 became obtainable.
April 2020: First Release Date Delay
In April 2020, the initial release date of Cyberpunk 2077, set for April 16, was delayed to September 17.
May 2020: Advertising Campaign in Poland
Starting in May 2020, Agora Group promoted Cyberpunk 2077 in Poland through newspapers, online services, radio channels, outdoor advertising, and cinemas.
July 2020: Publication of "The World of Cyberpunk 2077" Art Book
In July 2020, Dark Horse Books published "The World of Cyberpunk 2077", a 192-page art book.
August 2020: Cyberpunk 2077 Wins All Nominations at Gamescom
In August 2020, at Gamescom, Cyberpunk 2077 won all five of its nominations, including Best PC Game and Best of Gamescom.
December 2020: Cyberpunk 2077 Sales Pass 13 Million Units
In December 2020, Cyberpunk 2077 passed 13 million units sold. It had the biggest digital game launch of all time, selling 10.2 million digital units and grossing $609 million in digital sales by December 31, 2020.
December 2020: Cyberpunk 2077 Released
In December 2020, Cyberpunk 2077 was released for PlayStation 4, Stadia, Windows, and Xbox One.
December 2020: Sony Offers Refunds and Removes Game
In December 2020, Sony announced it would offer refunds for Cyberpunk 2077 purchases through the PlayStation Store and removed the game from the store until further notice due to performance issues.
December 2020: PlayStation Store Removal
In December 2020, Sony removed Cyberpunk 2077 from the PlayStation Store due to widespread criticism regarding bugs and glitches, particularly on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions.
December 2020: Game Delays
In December 2020, the early access release of Rockfish Game's Everspace 2 and an expansion to Grinding Gear Games's Path of Exile were delayed until the following month in order to avoid competing with Cyberpunk 2077's release.
December 2020: Class-Action Lawsuit Filed
On 24 December 2020, a class-action lawsuit was filed in California on behalf of investors, alleging that CD Projekt Red made fraudulent claims about the state of Cyberpunk 2077 to mislead investors.
2020: Cyberpunk 2077 Recoups Production and Marketing Costs
In 2020, CD Projekt Red announced that digital preorders for Cyberpunk 2077 alone had recouped the game's production cost as well as its 2020 marketing expenses. However, sales saw a drastic decline four days after release due to technical issues.
2020: Night City Wire Online Event
In 2020, CD Projekt's online event Night City Wire showcased additional trailers, more gameplay, and making-of footage, due to E3 2020 being cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
2020: Cyberpunk 2077 – Afterlife: The Card Game Slated for Release
In 2020, Cyberpunk 2077 – Afterlife: The Card Game, created with CMON Limited, was slated for release, but it has not been released as of yet. There have been no updates and its future remains uncertain.
2020: Cyberpunk 2077 Release
In 2020, Cyberpunk 2077, an action role-playing game developed by CD Projekt Red and published by CD Projekt, was released. The game is set in Night City and follows V, a mercenary, as they navigate the dystopian world with Johnny Silverhand.
2020: Collector's Edition Release
In 2020, a "Collector's Edition" was released along with the game. The standard edition also contains the compendium, postcards, map, and stickers.
2020: Cyberpunk 2077 Livestream at Tokyo Game Show
In 2020, during a Cyberpunk 2077 livestream at Tokyo Game Show, Hiroshi Sakakibara, Environment City Coordinator at CD Projekt Red, discussed the art design team's inspiration for Night City.
2020: Mostly Positive Steam Reviews
Shortly after its late 2020 release, user reviews for Cyberpunk 2077 on Steam were rated "mostly positive".
January 2021: Second Class-Action Suit Filed
By January 2021, a second similar class-action lawsuit was filed against CD Projekt Red regarding Cyberpunk 2077.
January 2021: Co-CEO Apology
On 13 January 2021, CD Projekt Red's Co-CEO Marcin Iwiński issued an open message to players, apologising for the state of Cyberpunk 2077 and outlining the company's plans to rectify the issues.
February 2021: Datamine Reveals China Censorship Tags
In February 2021, a datamine of Cyberpunk 2077's source code revealed that content flagged for censorship in China was tagged under "Winnie the Pooh", referencing an internet meme.
May 2021: Lawsuits Merged
By May 2021, four separate lawsuits against CD Projekt Red over Cyberpunk 2077 had been filed and subsequently merged into one common action.
June 2021: PlayStation Store Return
Cyberpunk 2077 returned to the PlayStation Store in June 2021 after CD Projekt addressed some of the issues.
June 2021: PlayStation Store Relaunch with Warning
In June 2021, Cyberpunk 2077 returned to the PlayStation Store, but with a warning that users might still experience performance issues, especially on PS4 systems.
October 2021: Delay of Next-Gen Ports
In October 2021, the release of next-generation ports for Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5, initially scheduled for 2021, was delayed.
December 2021: Settlement Proposed
In December 2021, CD Projekt Red proposed a settlement with investors, offering US$1.85 million as part of the terms.
2021: Cyberpunk 2077 Receives Golden Trailer Awards Nomination
In 2021, Cyberpunk 2077 received a second Golden Trailer Awards nomination in the Best Video Game Trailer category.
2021: Cyberpunk 2077 Receives Nominations at Various Award Ceremonies
In 2021, after its launch, Cyberpunk 2077 received multiple award nominations. These included four nominations at the British Academy Games Awards, two nominations at The Game Awards, three at the New York Game Awards, and nominations at the SXSW Gaming Awards, D.I.C.E. Awards, Game Developers Choice Awards, and Guild of Music Supervisors Awards. It also received two nominations at the Visual Effects Society Awards and won the Best Game Trailer Audio category at the Game Audio Network Guild Awards.
February 2022: Support for Ukraine After Russian Invasion
In February 2022, CD Projekt publicly supported Ukraine following the Russian invasion by suspending all sales of Cyberpunk 2077 in Russia and Belarus, and donating a million Polish złoty to a humanitarian charity operating in Ukraine.
February 2022: Cyberpunk 2077 Released on New Consoles
In February 2022, Cyberpunk 2077 was released for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.
February 2022: Next-Gen Ports Released
On February 15, 2022, the next-generation ports for Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 were released, after being delayed in October 2021. Owners of the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 versions were able to freely download the game on their respective next-generation models.
September 2022: Cyberpunk 2077 Sales Exceed 20 Million Units
By September 2022, Cyberpunk 2077 had sold over 20 million units.
September 2022: Player Count Surge Post-Edgerunners
Following the release of the Cyberpunk: Edgerunners anime series on Netflix in September 2022, alongside the release of several post-launch patches, the game's player count on PC surged to levels not seen since its initial release, remaining above one million daily players for at least four weeks.
September 2022: Edgerunners Update Release
In September 2022, CD Projekt Red launched Patch 1.6, or the "Edgerunners Update", for Cyberpunk 2077. This update included free downloadable content and in-game elements inspired by the Cyberpunk: Edgerunners anime series.
September 2022: Premiere of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners on Netflix
On 13 September 2022, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, a spin-off anime series co-produced by CD Projekt Red and Trigger, premiered on Netflix.
October 2022: Announcement of Cyberpunk 2077 Sequel
In October 2022, a sequel to Cyberpunk 2077, internally codenamed "Project Orion", was announced.
October 2022: Cyberpunk 2 Announced
In October 2022, a sequel, Cyberpunk 2, was announced and is currently in development.
2022: Increase in Cyberpunk 2077 Units Sold
In 2022, Cyberpunk 2077 experienced an increase in unit sales, with 94% of sales being digital. This was partially driven by the release of the Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Netflix anime series and the concurrent update 1.6, which added tie-in content. CD Projekt Red acknowledged that the positive reception of Edgerunners significantly boosted the game's sales during the third quarter of 2022.
2022: Cyberpunk 2077 Wins Steam Award for Outstanding Story-Rich Game
In 2022, Cyberpunk 2077 won a Steam Award in the Outstanding Story-Rich Game category.
2022: Release of Cyberpunk 2077: Blackout Comic
In 2022, Dark Horse Comics released Cyberpunk 2077: Blackout, a comic book set in the Cyberpunk 2077 world.
2022: "I Really Want to Stay at Your House" Goes Viral
In 2022, Rosa Walton's "I Really Want to Stay at Your House" went viral after being prominently featured in the anime series Cyberpunk: Edgerunners.
2022: Ukrainian Translation Controversy
In 2022, Update 2.0 for Cyberpunk 2077 added a Ukrainian language option. The translation contained anti-Russian statements regarding Russia's invasion of Ukraine. CD Projekt apologized and planned to replace the translations.
2022: Release of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
In 2022, the release of the tie-in anime series Cyberpunk: Edgerunners contributed to a progressive reappraisal of the game.
January 2023: Settlement Approved
In January 2023, a judge approved the settlement proposed by CD Projekt Red in December 2021, providing US$1.85 million to the investor group.
August 2023: Publication of Cyberpunk 2077: No Coincidence Novel
In August 2023, Cyberpunk 2077: No Coincidence, a novel by Polish author Rafał Kosik set in the video game's world, was published. It was translated to English by Stefan Kiełbasiewicz and published by Orbit.
September 2023: Phantom Liberty DLC Release
In September 2023, the Phantom Liberty DLC expansion was released for PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S.
October 2023: Cyberpunk 2077 Sales Pass 25 Million Units
As of October 2023, Cyberpunk 2077 had sold over 25 million units.
October 2023: CD Projekt Red's Investment in Cyberpunk 2077 Post-Launch
In October 2023, CD Projekt Red revealed they had spent $125 million on Cyberpunk 2077 since its launch on updates and bug fixes. The base game cost $174 million to develop, while the development and marketing of Phantom Liberty cost about $85 million.
November 2023: Physical Release Announcement
In November 2023, a physical release of Cyberpunk 2077 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, including the Phantom Liberty expansion, was announced. The PC version was available digitally, while PlayStation 5 releases included a digital code instead of a disc.
December 2023: Update 2.1 Release
In December 2023, alongside the "Ultimate Edition" release, CD Projekt Red launched Update 2.1 for Cyberpunk 2077, touted as the "last major update". This update introduced a functional Metro system and enhanced scenes with V's romantic interests, among other improvements.
2023: Cyberpunk 2077 Wins Steam Award for Labor of Love
In 2023, Cyberpunk 2077 won a Steam Award in the Labor of Love category.
2023: Cyberpunk 2077: Big City Dreams Wins Hugo Award
In 2023, Cyberpunk 2077: Big City Dreams won the Hugo Award for Best Graphic Story or Comic.
2023: Arasaka Tower Attack
In 2023, Johnny Silverhand carries out an attack on Arasaka Tower with Rogue Amendiares and other mercenaries.
February 2024: Developer Team Size Reduction
As of February 2024, only 17 developers were actively working on Cyberpunk 2077.
November 2024: Cyberpunk 2077 Sales Reach 30 Million Units
CD Projekt announced that Cyberpunk 2077 had sold 30 million copies by November 2024, making it one of the best-selling games of all time.
2024: Cyberpunk 2077 Wins British Academy Games Award for Evolving Game
In 2024, Cyberpunk 2077 received its first British Academy Games Award in the Evolving Game category.
January 2025: "Overwhelmingly Positive" Steam Rating
By January 2025, more than four years after launch, Cyberpunk 2077 attained the "overwhelmingly positive" rating on Steam.
May 2025: Cyberpunk 2077 Sequel Enters Pre-Production
In May 2025, the Cyberpunk 2077 sequel, internally codenamed "Project Orion", entered pre-production.
June 2025: Cyberpunk 2077 Released on Nintendo Switch 2
In June 2025, Cyberpunk 2077 was released for the Nintendo Switch 2 as a launch title.
June 2025: Ultimate Edition Nintendo Switch 2 Release
In June 2025, the "Ultimate Edition" of Cyberpunk 2077 was released as a launch title for the Nintendo Switch 2, utilizing a 64GB cartridge instead of a Game-Key Card. This garnered significant media attention.
July 2025: Cyberpunk 2077 Released on macOS
In July 2025, Cyberpunk 2077 was released for macOS.
July 2025: Release for macOS
On July 17, 2025, the base game, along with the Phantom Liberty expansion, was released for macOS.
November 2025: Sales Milestone
As of November 2025, Cyberpunk 2077 had sold over 35 million copies.
2025: Release of Black Dog Fan Film
In early 2025, an hour-long fan film titled Black Dog was released and received congratulations from Paweł Sasko, the original game director.
2077: Licensing Agreement for Cyberpunk
CD Projekt Red reached an agreement with Mike Pondsmith in 2012 to license Cyberpunk's story from the year 2077 onward to CD Projekt Red.
2077: Night City Setting in 2077
Cyberpunk 2077 takes place in Night City in 2077, an independent megacity functioning as a corporatocracy affected by gang violence and corporate warfare.
2077: Cyberpunk 2077 Alternate History
In 2077, Cyberpunk 2077 presents an alternate history of the United States.
2077: Game for Windows, PlayStation and Xbox
In 2077, Cyberpunk 2077 was confirmed for Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
2077: REDengine 4 Used for Development
In 2077, Cyberpunk 2077 was developed using REDengine 4, which is the fourth iteration of CD Projekt Red's internal game engine. REDengine 3, REDengine 4's predecessor, implemented improvements to terrain and vegetation rendering by streaming regions from a clipped mipmap in memory.
2077: Final REDengine Game
In 2077, Cyberpunk 2077 was the final game to use REDengine as future games from CD Projekt Red were developed using Unreal Engine 5.
2077: Gavin Drea and Cherami Leigh as V
In 2077, Gavin Drea and Cherami Leigh provided the voice of the male and female versions of V, respectively.
2077: Partnerships for Merchandise and Promotion
In 2077, McFarlane Toys signed an agreement to manufacture action figures for Cyberpunk 2077. There were also a Cyberpunk 2077-themed Xbox One X, video cards, gaming chairs, energy drinks, sneakers, smartphones, and peripherals produced.
2077: REDengine 4 Lighting Adjustments
In 2077, REDengine 4 implemented various lighting adjustments for Cyberpunk 2077, including hardware-accelerated real-time ray tracing through DirectX, global illumination, diffuse illumination, and ambient occlusion. The game also used vertical asset streaming to save memory.
2077: The Relic Heist in 2077
In 2077, V and Jackie are hired to steal "the Relic" biochip from the Arasaka Corporation, which leads to the death of Jackie and V being left for dead.
2077: Release Date Delays and Death Threats
In 2077, after delays to September 17th, then November 19th, and finally December 10th, Cyberpunk 2077 developers received death threats over the last delay.
2077: Release of Collector's and Standard Editions
In 2077, both a "Collector's Edition" and a standard edition of Cyberpunk 2077 were released, including physical and digital items such as a steelbook case, artbook, pin set, keychain, and digital comics.
2077: Partnerships During Development
In 2077, during the development of Cyberpunk 2077, CD Projekt Red partnered with several companies, including Digital Scapes, Nvidia, QLOC, and Jali Research, to enhance various aspects of the game's development, such as tools, ray tracing, quality assurance, and lip syncing.
2077: Musical Artists Contribute to Soundtrack
In 2077, multiple licensed musical artists, including Run the Jewels, Rosa Walton, Grimes, Refused, and ASAP Rocky, contributed to Cyberpunk 2077's fictional radio stations and soundtrack albums.
2077: Suspension of Sales in Russia and Belarus
In 2077, sales were suspended in Russia and Belarus to support Ukraine.
2077: Night City Design Inspired by Dieter Rams and Syd Mead
In 2077, the art design team at CD Projekt Red designed Night City with inspiration from Dieter Rams' elegance and Syd Mead's vibrant colours and materialism. They also took inspiration from Blade Runner, Ghost in the Shell, System Shock, and Deus Ex.
2077: Nuke Software Used for Night City Design
In 2077, the team used the digital compositing software Nuke to design Night City, including the global illumination system, user interface, and splash screen for Cyberpunk 2077.
2077: Censorship in Japan
In 2077, versions of Cyberpunk 2077 released in Japan were subject to a reduction in the amount of nudity and gore portrayed to meet rating agency requirements and censorship laws.
2077: Cyberpunk 2077 Main Characters
In Cyberpunk 2077, set in 2077, players navigate the story with the primary protagonist Vincent/Valerie, known as V, and are accompanied by Johnny Silverhand.
2077: Cyberpunk 2077 Connection to the Cyberpunk Universe
Marcin Janiszewski sought to remind players of Cyberpunk 2077's connection to the Cyberpunk universe in 2077.
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