It’s rare to see the expansion of a much-reviled game (or for a game that flunked so hard at launch to get an expansion at all) quite like what the internet is doing with Cyberpunk 2077’s first and only premium expansion, Phantom Liberty.
As a matter of fact, it’s so successful that CD Projekt RED, the masterminds behind this futuristic role-playing epic, have announced a remarkable milestone.
Within the initial week of the expansion’s launch, the company recorded an impressive sale of three million copies. This further solidifies CDPR’s now-improved reputation after it (and its share prices) tanked in recent years.
President Myers needs help in Dogtown?
Not to worry, 3 millions Vs are coming to the rescue!Thank you all for your support! ❤️ pic.twitter.com/cKoyjN2oLn
— Cyberpunk 2077 (@CyberpunkGame) October 5, 2023
North America emerged as the frontrunner, accounting for 35.9% of the total sales followed by Europe at 35.1%. Asia, too, showed significant interest, making up 23.1% of the sales pie. The granularity of these figures paints a clear picture: the universal appeal and global fanbase of Cyberpunk 2077 and its subsequent expansion.
Platform-wise, the lion’s share of these sales favored the PC domain, comprising a striking 68%, with GoG, CD Projekt’s own digital distribution platform, accounting for 10% of these figures. This hints at an intriguing trend where GoG has become just as influential as gaming consoles. Finally, it showcases the increasing predilection of gamers toward the platforms with a reduced digital rights management structure, which Ubisoft might want to keep in mind.
A noteworthy facet of this success story is the team behind the scenes. As revealed, the development and roll-out of the Phantom Liberty expansion were the cumulative efforts of a robust 360-member team from CD Projekt RED. With 3,600 individuals “engaged” in this magnum opus, the scale and ambition of the project is obvious. This collective might and dedication resulted in a product that has not only been commercially successful but also critically acclaimed.
To put this achievement into perspective, the overall sales of Cyberpunk 2077 have now exceeded 25 million copies. It is salient to mention that a staggering 13.7 million of these were sold within the mere span of the first three weeks post its 2020 launch. This trajectory, when compared to CD Projekt RED’s other masterpiece, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, displays an accelerated growth rate.
As CEO Adam Kiciński highlighted, Cyberpunk 2077’s sales have outpaced those of The Witcher 3 in less time.
The fulcrum of Phantom Liberty’s narrative sees the return of Keanu Reeves as the ever-enigmatic Johnny Silverhand, supplemented by the introduction of Solomon Reed, portrayed by the talented Idris Elba. This reception and success set the tone for the franchise’s future endeavors.
It’s crazy that everyone is singing Cyberpunk 2077 praises after burying it with negative criticism for years. Performance issues on all console platforms plagued Cyberpunk 2077 at launch. This forced an organizational restructuring, among a handful of changes. Such a rocky start would typically spell doom for most titles, the Polish studio’s dedication to make iterative improvements and responsive engagement with its community has played a pivotal role in rebuilding trust.
The current sales dynamics suggest a positive if surprising trend. PC gamers appear more willing to invest in a title that has demonstrated commitment to growth and rectification. The PC version’s dominant sales figures, despite the initial hiccups, echo this sentiment. It underscores the significance of continued engagement and the potential for redemption even after a turbulent launch.
As CD Projekt RED gears up for future endeavors, including the eagerly awaited sequel and the live-action project made in collaboration with Anonymous Content, Cyberpunk 2077’s sales should only continue to grow.
