Cyberpunk 2077 did not get off to a good start when it launched in 2020, to say the least. Fortunately, that disastrous fiasco did not stop CD Projekt Red from turning the tables and pulling a “No Man’s Sky” so to speak, proving that even the most beleaguered of titles can find redemption (or at least a boatload of cash) on the far side of their troubles.
Following the release of the company’s latest earnings call for Q4 2023, CDPR revealed that Cyberpunk 2077 has amassed three billion PLN (that’s Polish Zloty for those who are wondering), which amounts to an incredible $751,555,500 in USD. That’s no number to scoff at.
Getting into the finer details, it’s tough to parse how much of that loot came from V’s original adventures or the expansion pack, Phantom Liberty. However, a peek at the sales graph shows a chart we’re all too familiar with: a slump followed by a resurgence, which happens to coincide with the expansion’s launch.
From what we can gather, Phantom Liberty has sold more than 5 million copies since its release, which means it’s earned CDPR over $150 million, at the very least. It’s worth noting that CDPR spent over $436 million developing and marketing Cyberpunk 2077.
Sadly, it’s not been all sunshine and rainbows. Despite the heights of financial success the Polish publisher has attained, a huge number of developers were rewarded with layoffs. In the summer of last year, CDPR took the axe to its workforce, reducing its ranks by around 9%. After three subsequent rounds of layoffs, developers were forced to unionize to protect their interests.
Of the 627 developers currently working at CDPR, 47 of them are now assigned to the next chapter in the Cyberpunk 2077 saga, codenamed Orion. The latest news suggests that the upcoming game will include live service features, and multiplayer dreams scrapped from 2077 will possibly find a home in this future venture. Alongside this, a live-action adaptation of Cyberpunk 2077 is also in the works.
Other than Cyberpunk 2077, CD Projekt Red is also focused on three other major projects, including Sirius, Hadar, and Polaris. The latter, which is a codename for The Witcher 4, is the studio’s primary objective. As per CDPR’s previous earnings report, 330 developers were attached to the project, with some veterans from Cyberpunk 2077 expected to join the project by mid-2024.
Currently, Polaris is staffed with 403 developers, which is nearly two-thirds of the company’s development team. It’s clear that CD Projekt Red is throwing its full weight behind the eagerly anticipated The Witcher 4. The only downside to this is that we might have to wait at least three years before we can get our hands on this latest adventure, which is unlikely to feature Geralt again.
