There are Cyberpunk 2077 updates released nearly on a daily basis, and yet the game isn't even available until April of next year. They weren't kidding when they said Witcher and Cyberpunk would be taking the world over. As the hype for their Blade Runner-esque sci-fi reaches newer and newer heights with each added bit of news, it's almost as if the curtain gets drawn ever more closed upon CD Projekt Red's award-winning predecessor. So, while it retained a breathtaking narrative due to being based on the characters of Andrzej Sapkowski's novels, The Witcher 3 does lack in a few areas.
Thus, Cyberpunk 2077 will amend these errors, reshaping not only the way the public and gamers perceive CDPR but also in the way the gaming industry itself experiences open-world capabilities.
The Witcher took us all to a fantasy land laden with myriads of flying beats, disgusting monsters, and the worst of all: humans. In the game, your only choice of weaponry is silver or steel swords and axes or simply the trusty old crossbow. In CDPR's upcoming title, a multitude of different gadgets and guns are at one's disposal. From automatic pistols and electric nanowire to futuristic shotguns and hacked drones, there already seems to be an array of varied armaments in Cyberpunk 2077.
From this standpoint, it's also clear to take note of the fact that RPGs tend to do poorly when up against shooters. While the likes of Skyrim and Shadow of Mordor were terrific open-world titles, games like Battlefield, Call of Duty and even Grand Theft Auto, hold far more intrigue to the gamers. Though little is known about the pre-order profit thus far on Cyberpunk, one Polish article quotes CDPR vice president Marcin Iwiński as "very pleased" on the nature of initial sales and recording them as "much higher" than its predecessor. It only makes sense; there are far more gamers out there who would prefer waving around a gun or rifle as opposed to slashing a sword or ax about.
In his book Blood, Sweat, and Pixels, Jason Schrier discusses the nurture and creation of both CDPR and The Witcher series alongside it. In the initial phase of development on The Witcher 3, besides a larger world to explore, main among the most important gaming components was, as one may guess, having no restrictions. As Schrier puts it:
"("Freedom" was the word Iwiński used most often as a pillar for what the game would offer.) They wanted it to be the best-looking game you could buy...With The Witcher 3, CD Projekt Red wanted to show the world that Poland could make games just as critically and commercially successful as its competitors."
Aside from this deeply ingrained form of in-game freedom, immersion is the second most important factor in the creation of CDPR games, especially for that of their newest title. As evidenced by their changing of all cutscenes to first person, Cyberpunk will feature a whole new examination of immersion by dropping players into the heart-pounding situations their character may find themselves in.
Additionally, world-building is probably the third most important part of CDPR titles. The fact that they employed city planners on personifying Night City to its fullest is an insane thought. Instead of having this gargantuan map, like The Witcher 3, Cyberpunk will feature far more vertical layers, consisting of a dangerous city teeming with a variety of different buildings, sub-sections, and interiors to explore.
It even comes down to the game's marketing. Interestingly, I didn't even start playing The Witcher 3 until last year after I read a few of Sapkowski's novels. Now, I'm in complete adoration of CDPR for their creative development. Where The Witcher had lacked in its advertising guile, their newest iteration seems to have excelled. I've known about the game since 2013 when a conspicuous and animated teaser trailer dropped to every gamer's astonishment. And most people thought Red Dead Redemption 2 would be the closest thing we could her to playing Westworld.
Iwiński, in an interview with Geoff Keighley at E3 2019, discusses dissimilarities between both games, stating the following:
"So, if we move to Cyberpunk 2077, it's obviously different. It's California. But, I think you'll hopefully feel a little bit of the Polish soul in CP, as well."
Although they're entirely different games, both Cyberpunk and The Witcher are helmed by the same creative minds. The staff may have grown a bit since monster-hunting evolved into bio-enhanced cybernetics. But the same hearts and minds still populate the development team, and that is paramount for video game success. What will make Cyberpunk so beloved is this facet of "home-grown-ness." It will certainly be ten times better than its predecessor, that's for sure; but if not for The Witcher 3, Cyberpunk wouldn't exist.
I don't know about you, but I just can't wait to have a detachable blade in my forearm.