History of Cyberpunk 2077 in Timeline
Cyberpunk 2077 is a 2020 action RPG by CD Projekt Red, set in the dystopian metropolis of Night City. Based on Mike Pondsmith's Cyberpunk tabletop game, players control V, a mercenary who becomes linked to Johnny Silverhand (a rockstar and terrorist) via a bio-chip. V and Johnny must cooperate to separate and save V's life as Johnny's consciousness overwrites V's. The game explores themes of transhumanism, corporate power, and the struggle for survival in a bleak, technologically advanced future.
1982: Inspiration from Blade Runner (1982)
The art design team at CD Projekt Red took inspiration from Blade Runner (1982), which was referred to as the "Bible of all cyberpunk".
1994: Inspiration from System Shock (1994)
The art design team at CD Projekt Red took inspiration from System Shock (1994) for Night City's design.
1999: Motion Capture in The Matrix (1999)
Keanu Reeves had previously used motion capture technology for his performance as Neo in The Matrix (1999).
2000: Crimson Skies release
Mike Pondsmith's experience at Microsoft developing games such as Crimson Skies (2000)
2000: Inspiration from Deus Ex (2000)
The art design team at CD Projekt Red took inspiration from Deus Ex (2000) for Night City's design.
2001: Blood Wake release
Mike Pondsmith's experience at Microsoft developing games such as Blood Wake (2001)
2005: The Matrix Online release
Mike Pondsmith's experience at Monolith Productions developing The Matrix Online (2005)
2011: The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings release
In 2011, The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings was released.
May 2012: Cyberpunk 2077 Announcement
Cyberpunk 2077 was announced in May 2012.
2012: Preliminary work on Cyberpunk 2077
Preliminary work on Cyberpunk 2077 began following the release of The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings Enhanced Edition in 2012. Also, CD Projekt Red approached Mike Pondsmith, the writer of Cyberpunk, in early 2012.
January 2013: Trailer Release
Trailers for Cyberpunk 2077 were released in January 2013.
2013: Golden Trailer Awards Nomination
In 2013, Cyberpunk 2077's teaser received a Golden Trailer Awards nomination in the Best Video Game Trailer category.
2013: Alt Cunningham creates Soulkiller
In 2013, Johnny's girlfriend Alt Cunningham created Soulkiller, an AI that transfers minds into cyberspace but destroys the brain. Arasaka used Soulkiller on Alt, imprisoning her in their digital fortress, Mikoshi.
2013: Initial Development with REDengine 3
In 2013, initial development of Cyberpunk 2077 began using REDengine 3. However, due to difficulties with the first-person perspective, CD Projekt Red transitioned to REDengine 4.
2015: Quest Changes
In 2015, The quest team took several changes in comparison to the quest system in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt .
2015: Inspiration from Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
The art design team at CD Projekt Red took inspiration from Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) for designing cars in the game.
2016: Bulk of development for Cyberpunk 2077 began
According to Jason Schreier of Bloomberg News, based on discussions with CD Projekt developers, the bulk of development towards Cyberpunk 2077 only began in late 2016.
2016: Development Began
In 2016, development of Cyberpunk 2077 began following the release of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Blood and Wine.
2017: Continued REDengine Development
As late as 2017, CD Projekt Red continued to work on REDengine throughout Cyberpunk 2077's development cycle.
July 2018: Keanu Reeves Approached for Johnny Silverhand Role
In July 2018, CD Projekt Red approached Keanu Reeves for the role of Johnny Silverhand.
2018: E3 2018 Announcements
Cyberpunk 2077 trailers were released at E3 2018, and the game was confirmed for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
2018: Cyberpunk 2077 wins over one hundred awards at E3 2018
Cyberpunk 2077 won over one hundred awards at E3 2018, including Best Game, Best Xbox One Game, Best PC Game, Best RPG, and People's Choice at IGN, Best Role-Playing Game and Game of the Show at Game Informer, Best of E3 at PC Gamer, and Game of the Show at GamesRadar+.
2018: Golden Joystick Awards and E3 Accolades
In 2018, Cyberpunk 2077 won a Golden Joystick Award for Most Wanted Game and garnered over 100 awards at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), including accolades for Best Game, Best Xbox One Game, Best PC Game, Best RPG, and the People's Choice award.
June 2019: Cosplay Competition
CD Projekt Red held a Cyberpunk 2077 cosplay competition in June 2019.
June 2019: Pre-orders Climbed to the Top of 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
Stadia was announced for Cyberpunk 2077 in August 2019.
2019: Initial Release Date Announcement
At E3 2019, an initial release date of April 16, 2020, was announced for Cyberpunk 2077.
2019: Cyberpunk 2077 was the most widely discussed game of E3 2019
Cyberpunk 2077 was the most widely discussed game of E3 2019, where it was presented awards for Best of E3 at GamesRadar+, PC Gamer, Rock Paper Shotgun, and Ars Technica, and Best Game, People's Choice, Best PS4 Game, Best Xbox One Game, Best PC Game, and Best RPG at IGN.
2019: Second Golden Joystick Award
In 2019, Cyberpunk 2077 won a second consecutive Golden Joystick Award for Most Wanted Game.
April 2020: Funko Pops Availability
Cyberpunk 2077 Funko Pops were obtainable starting April 16, 2020.
April 2020: First Release Date Delay
The initial release date of April 16, 2020, for Cyberpunk 2077 was delayed to September 17, 2020.
May 2020: Advertising Campaign in Poland
From May 2020, advertising company Agora Group promoted Cyberpunk 2077 in Poland through newspapers, online services, radio channels, outdoor ads, 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: Gamescom Awards
In August 2020 at Gamescom, Cyberpunk 2077 won all five of its nominations, including Best PC Game and Best of Gamescom.
December 2020: Initial Release of Cyberpunk 2077
In December 2020, Cyberpunk 2077 was initially released for PlayStation 4, Stadia, Windows, and Xbox One.
December 2020: PlayStation Store Removal
In December 2020, Cyberpunk 2077 was removed from the PlayStation Store due to widespread criticism of bugs and glitches, particularly on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions.
December 2020: Sales Figures for Cyberpunk 2077
In December 2020, the PlayStation 4 version of Cyberpunk 2077 sold an estimated 104,687 physical units during its debut week in Japan, and the game passed 13 million units sold globally.
December 2020: Sony offers refunds and removes Cyberpunk 2077 from the PlayStation Store
On December 17, 2020, Sony announced that it would offer refunds to customers who had purchased Cyberpunk 2077 through the PlayStation Store and removed it from the store "until further notice".
December 2020: Class-action lawsuit filed against CD Projekt over Cyberpunk 2077
On December 24, 2020, a class-action lawsuit representing those making investments in CD Projekt during 2020 was filed in California, asserting that the company made fraudulent claims to the state of Cyberpunk 2077 as to mislead those investors.
December 2020: Final Release Date
The release of Cyberpunk 2077 was delayed to December 10, 2020, leading to death threats against the developers. Other games like Everspace 2 and Path of Exile delayed releases to avoid competition.
2020: Tokyo Game Show 2020 Livestream
During a Cyberpunk 2077 livestream at Tokyo Game Show 2020, Hiroshi Sakakibara discussed the inspiration behind Night City's design, including retro and futuristic elements.
2020: Recouping Production and Marketing Costs
In 2020, CD Projekt Red stated that digital preorders for Cyberpunk 2077 alone recouped the game's production cost as well as the game's 2020 marketing cost.
2020: Cyberpunk 2077 – Afterlife: The Card Game Slated for Release
In 2020, Cyberpunk 2077 – Afterlife: The Card Game, created alongside publisher CMON Limited, was slated for release, but it has not yet been released.
2020: Cyberpunk 2077 Release
In 2020, Cyberpunk 2077, an action role-playing game developed by CD Projekt Red, was released. The game is based on Mike Pondsmith's Cyberpunk tabletop game series and is set in Night City, California.
2020: Collector's Edition Release
In 2020, a "Collector's Edition" of Cyberpunk 2077 was released, containing various physical and digital items.
2020: Night City Wire Event
In 2020, with E3 cancelled, CD Projekt's online event Night City Wire showcased trailers, gameplay, and making-of footage for Cyberpunk 2077.
January 2021: Poland investigates Cyberpunk 2077 and second class-action suit filed
In January 2021, Poland's Office of Competition and Consumer Protection began an investigation of Cyberpunk 2077, asking CD Projekt for an "explanation regarding problems with the game and actions taken by them". Also a second class-action suit had been filed in January 2021.
January 2021: CD Projekt apologizes for Cyberpunk 2077 state and outlines plans to correct it
On January 13, 2021, CD Projekt's Co-CEO Marcin Iwiński issued an open message to players, apologizing for the state of Cyberpunk 2077 and outlining the company's plans to correct it. He stated that the company "underestimated the risk" in bringing a game optimised to run on personal computers over to consoles, particularly the older Xbox One and PlayStation 4 consoles.
February 2021: Censorship Content Tag Revealed
A datamine of the Cyberpunk 2077's source code in February 2021 revealed that content flagged for censorship in China was tagged under "Winnie the Pooh", referencing an internet meme.
February 2021: CD Projekt Red released 18 DLCs for Cyberpunk 2077
As of February 2021, CD Projekt Red had released 18 different DLCs for Cyberpunk 2077, with one DLC including content from the Cyberpunk: Edgerunners anime.
May 2021: Four lawsuits against CD Projekt over Cyberpunk 2077 merged
By May 2021, four separate lawsuits against CD Projekt had been filed over Cyberpunk 2077, and had been subsequently merged into one common action.
June 2021: Return to PlayStation Store
Cyberpunk 2077 returned to the PlayStation Store in June 2021 after CD Projekt rectified some of the technical issues that led to its removal.
June 2021: Cyberpunk 2077 returns to the PlayStation Store with performance warnings
In June 2021, Cyberpunk 2077 returned to the PlayStation Store, but the store warned users that "Users continue to experience performance issues with this game. Purchase for use on PS4 systems is not recommended".
October 2021: Delay of Next-Gen Ports
In October 2021, the release of next-generation ports for Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 was delayed.
December 2021: CD Projekt proposes settlement in Cyberpunk 2077 lawsuit
In December 2021, CD Projekt proposed a settlement with the investors in the Cyberpunk 2077 lawsuits, providing US$1.85 million to the group as part of the terms.
2021: Golden Trailer Awards Nomination
In 2021, Cyberpunk 2077's teaser received a second Golden Trailer Awards nomination in the Best Video Game Trailer category.
2021: Awards Nominations for Cyberpunk 2077
In 2021, following its launch, Cyberpunk 2077 received four nominations at the British Academy Games Awards, including two for voice acting: Cherami Leigh as the female V and Carla Tassara as Judy Alvarez. The game earned two nominations at The Game Awards, for Best Score and Music and Best Role Playing Game.
February 2022: Support for Ukraine
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: Release on Next-Gen Consoles
In February 2022, Cyberpunk 2077 was released for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.
September 2022: Cyberpunk 2077 sales reach 20 million units
By September 2022, Cyberpunk 2077 had sold over 20 million units.
September 2022: Cyberpunk 2077 player count surged after Cyberpunk: Edgerunners release
In September 2022, following the release of the anime series Cyberpunk: Edgerunners on Netflix, along with several post-release patches, Cyberpunk 2077's player count on PC surged to levels not seen since its initial release.
September 2022: Premiere of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners on Netflix
On September 13, 2022, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, an anime spin-off collaboration 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, currently titled Cyberpunk 2, was announced to be in development with Unreal Engine 5 by CD Projekt's North American studios.
October 2022: Cyberpunk 2 Sequel Announcement
In October 2022, a sequel to Cyberpunk 2077, named Cyberpunk 2, was announced and is currently in development.
2022: Increase in Sales and Release of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
In 2022, Cyberpunk 2077 experienced an 18% increase in sales, with 94% being digital, partially due to the positive reception of the Netflix anime series Cyberpunk: Edgerunners and the game's update 1.6 which added material from the series.
2022: Steam Awards
In 2022, Cyberpunk 2077 won a Steam Award in the Outstanding Story-Rich Game category.
2022: Release of Cyberpunk 2077: Blackout
In 2022, Dark Horse Comics released Cyberpunk 2077: Blackout, a comic book set in the world of Cyberpunk 2077.
2022: Ukrainian Language Patch Anti-Russian Statements Controversy
In 2022, the Ukrainian language option, added in Update 2.0, contained anti-Russian statements specifically referring to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. CD Projekt apologised and stated that it was unaware these comments had been included and that they would be replaced in the next update.
January 2023: Settlement in Cyberpunk 2077 lawsuit approved
In January 2023, the proposed settlement between CD Projekt and investors in the Cyberpunk 2077 lawsuit was approved by a judge.
September 2023: Phantom Liberty DLC Release
In September 2023, the Phantom Liberty DLC expansion for Cyberpunk 2077 was released for PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S.
September 2023: Release of Phantom Liberty Expansion
In September 2023, the Phantom Liberty expansion for Cyberpunk 2077, starring Idris Elba, was released.
October 2023: Cyberpunk 2077 sells over 25 million units
As of October 2023, Cyberpunk 2077 has sold over 25 million units.
October 2023: CD Projekt Red Reveals Investment in Cyberpunk 2077
In October 2023, CD Projekt Red revealed that they have spent $125 million on Cyberpunk 2077 since launch, accounting for updates and bug fixes.
November 2023: Physical release of Cyberpunk 2077 with Phantom Liberty announced
In November 2023, a physical release of Cyberpunk 2077 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, which includes Phantom Liberty, was announced. PC players could purchase this version digitally, and PlayStation 5 releases come with a digital code instead of a disc.
December 2023: CD Projekt releases Update 2.1 for Cyberpunk 2077
In December 2023, CD Projekt released Update 2.1 for Cyberpunk 2077 alongside the "Ultimate Edition", characterized as "the last major update". It introduced a functioning Metro system, additional scenes with V's romantic interest, and other quality improvements.
December 2023: Release of Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition
In December 2023, the "Ultimate Edition" of Cyberpunk 2077 was released. PlayStation 5 releases come with a digital code instead of a disc.
2023: Steam Awards
In 2023, Cyberpunk 2077 won a Steam Award in the Labor of Love category.
2023: Hugo Award for Cyberpunk 2077: Big City Dreams
In 2023, Cyberpunk 2077: Big City Dreams won the Hugo Award for Best Graphic Story or Comic.
2023: Johnny Silverhand's Attack on Arasaka Tower
In 2023, rocker-turned-terrorist Johnny Silverhand died during an attack on Arasaka Tower, whose digital ghost haunts V in 2077.
February 2024: Only 17 developers remained working on Cyberpunk 2077
As of February 2024, only 17 developers remained working on Cyberpunk 2077.
November 2024: Sales Milestone
By November 2024, Cyberpunk 2077 had sold over 30 million units, making it one of the best-selling games of all time.
November 2024: Cyberpunk 2077 sells 30 million copies
CD Projekt announced that by November 2024, the game Cyberpunk 2077 had sold 30 million copies, making it one of the best-selling games of all time.
2024: British Academy Games Awards
In 2024, Cyberpunk 2077 received its first British Academy Games Award in the Evolving Game category.
January 2025: Cyberpunk 2077 attains "overwhelmingly positive" rating on Steam
By January 2025, more than four years after launch, Cyberpunk 2077 attained the "overwhelmingly positive" rating on Steam.
June 2025: Release on Nintendo Switch 2
Cyberpunk 2077 was released for the Nintendo Switch 2 in June 2025 as a launch title.
June 2025: Release of Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition for Nintendo Switch 2
In June 2025, the Ultimate Edition of Cyberpunk 2077 was released for the Nintendo Switch 2 as a launch title. The release received media attention for being one of the only third-party games on the system at launch to not be released on a Game-Key Card, instead featuring the complete game on a 64GB cartridge.
July 2025: macOS Release
In July 2025, Cyberpunk 2077 was released on macOS.
2025: Black Dog Fan Film Release
In early 2025, an hour-long fan film titled Black Dog was released, receiving congratulations from Paweł Sasko, the original game director.
2077: Release Date Delays and Developer Reactions
At E3 2019, an initial release date of 16 April 2020 was announced. This was delayed to 17 September, then 19 November, and finally 10 December. The developers received death threats over the last delay. The final delay was decided suddenly, with discussions commencing a day before the initial announcement.
2077: CD Projekt's public support to Ukraine.
CD Projekt publicly supported Ukraine following the Russian invasion of the country in February 2022 by suspending all sales of Cyberpunk 2077 in Russia and Belarus, and donating a million Polish złoty to a humanitarian charity operating in Ukraine.
2077: Cyberpunk 2077 Development
Cyberpunk 2077 was announced in May 2012. Trailers for the game were released in January 2013, at E3 2018, and at E3 2019. The game was initially confirmed for Windows, with PlayStation 4 and Xbox One announced at E3 2018. Stadia was announced in August 2019.
2077: Partnerships During Development
During the development of Cyberpunk 2077 in 2077, CD Projekt Red partnered with Digital Scapes, Nvidia, QLOC, and Jali Research for tool creation, ray tracing implementation, quality assurance, and lip-syncing respectively.
2077: Cyberpunk 2077 Merchandise and Promotion
Funko Pops were obtainable starting 16 April 2020. CD Projekt Red held a cosplay competition in June 2019. McFarlane Toys signed a three-year agreement to manufacture action figures. From May 2020, advertising company Agora Group had newspapers, online services, and radio channels doing promotion in Poland.
2077: License agreement
In 2012, Pondsmith and CD Projekt Red reached an agreement to license Cyberpunk's story from the year 2077 onward to CD Projekt Red.
2077: Gameplay perspective and character customization
In 2077 Cyberpunk 2077 is presented from a first-person perspective, featuring a customizable protagonist named V, and five customizable attributes.
2077: Cyberpunk 2077 Collector's and Standard Editions
In 2077, A "Collector's Edition" consisting of a custom box, steelbook case, figurine depicting a male V, hardcover artbook, metal pin set and keychain, A Visitor's Guide to Night City, embroidered patches, world compendium, Night City postcards and map, and stickers was released along with the game. The standard edition also contains the compendium, postcards, map, and stickers.
2077: Alternate History
In 2077, Cyberpunk 2077 presents an alternate history, where the United States and the Soviet Union and Japan became a superpower.
2077: Setting of Night City
In 2077, Cyberpunk 2077 takes place in Night City (NC), an American megacity which functions as a corporatocracy. The city suffers from rampant gang violence, and corporate warfare.
2077: Cyberpunk 2077 Development with REDengine 4
In 2077, Cyberpunk 2077 was being developed using REDengine 4, which included improvements to terrain and vegetation rendering through clipmapping and tessellation techniques, along with advancements in texturing, animations, volumetric effects, dynamic physics, and dialogue mimic systems.
2077: REDengine 4 Lighting Adjustments
In 2077, REDengine 4 implemented lighting adjustments like real-time ray tracing, global illumination, diffuse illumination, and ambient occlusion to create a more realistic world. Cyberpunk 2077 also used vertical asset streaming to save memory.
2077: Voice Acting and Localisation
In 2077, V was voiced by Gavin Drea and Cherami Leigh, and Keanu Reeves played Johnny Silverhand. The localisation of Cyberpunk 2077 involved nearly half of the 5,381 people working on the game, including 1,966 actors dedicated solely to voicing the characters.
2077: The Relic Heist in 2077
In 2077, fixer Dex DeShawn hires V and Jackie to steal a biochip called "the Relic" from the Arasaka Corporation which results in Jackie's death and V being shot and left for dead.
2077: Licensed Musical Artists
In 2077, multiple licensed musical artists contributed to Cyberpunk 2077's fictional radio stations and soundtrack albums, including Run the Jewels, Rosa Walton, Grimes, Refused, A$AP Rocky, Gazelle Twin, Yugen Blakrok, and Ilan Rubin.
2077: Night City Design Inspirations
In 2077, the art design team at CD Projekt Red took multiple sources of inspiration for designing Night City including Dieter Rams, Syd Mead, Blade Runner, Ghost in the Shell, System Shock, and Deus Ex. The team also consulted with urban planners and drew upon the themes of Brutalist architecture.
2077: Night City in Cyberpunk 2077
In 2077, the open world metropolis of Night City consists of seven regions with a full day-night cycle and dynamic weather, and also features radio stations available to listen to.
2077: Nuke Software for Night City Design
In 2077, the team used the digital compositing software Nuke to design Night City, user interface, and splash screen.
2077: Censorship and Criticism in Japan and China
In 2077, the versions of Cyberpunk 2077 released in Japan were subject to censorship. Chinese netizens criticized the game for its portrayal of Taiwan.
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