Sony said on Friday it is pulling CD Projekt’s Cyberpunk 2077 from its PlayStation Store and offering full refunds after gamers complained that the flagship title was rife with bugs.
The unusual move is the latest bodyblow for Poland’s top videogames maker, whose stock price has tumbled 30% amid fury from disappointed fans as well as industry reviewers who complained they were given limited access to the title ahead of its 10 December launch.
The backlash against the repeatedly delayed game has led to handwringing over the hype that surrounds new titles, the complicity of reviewers in driving that hype and the work environment for rank-and-file developers ahead of release dates.
CD Projekt, in damage control and widely seen as risking squandering fan goodwill built up over many years, has promised to fix the bugs through updates.
The firm did not respond to an e-mailed request for comment outside of regular Polish business hours. — Reported by Sam Nussey, (c) 2020 Reuters