CD Projekt Red co-CEO Michał Nowakowski has openly admitted that the disastrous launch of Cyberpunk 2077 permanently cost the studio some of its fanbase — and that he's not convinced the redemption arc is finished yet. Speaking publicly, Nowakowski said he understands the studio "lost the faith of some people indefinitely," and that no amount of post-launch patching can fully undo that damage.
Nowakowski is pinning his hopes on The Witcher 4 as the game that could win back at least some of those lost fans — or, failing that, whatever CD Projekt Red ships after it. The framing is notably humble: he's not claiming Cyberpunk 2077's eventual turnaround already closed the book on the studio's reputation problems. The launch in December 2020 was one of the most high-profile disasters in recent gaming history, pulling the game from the PlayStation Store for months and triggering widespread refunds.
CD Projekt Red spent years patching Cyberpunk 2077 back into shape, culminating in the 2.0 overhaul and the Phantom Liberty expansion in 2023, both of which were broadly praised. The game's reputation recovered significantly, but Nowakowski's comments suggest the studio's leadership still feels the weight of that original failure — and isn't ready to declare victory.
The Witcher 4 is currently in development and has been shown publicly, but no release date has been confirmed. Whether it can carry the symbolic weight Nowakowski is placing on it remains to be seen.
Sources (4)
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