CD Projekt RED isn’t making any more Cyberpunk 2077 expansions following the release of Phantom Liberty. Instead, the studio is leaving the game behind as it focuses on new technology, abandoning its esteemed RED Engine.
In a recent earnings call for the company earlier this week, CD Projekt revealed that it will no longer create new content for Cyberpunk 2077. Instead, all hands are being moved over to the studio’s new Witcher project.
CD Projekt claims this isn’t due to the studio wanting to abandon Cyberpunk, but instead a “technical decision” as the studio moves to adopt Unreal Engine 5. Even if Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty results in groundbreaking sales, the decision has already been made.
SVP of business development Michał Nowakowski explained: “we’re not going to make a second or third expansion. This is the only expansion of the game, and it has nothing to do with the numbers and how satisfied or not we are with sales or anything of the kind.”
“It’s a technological decision to be honest,” he continued. “This is the last time we’re working on the Red Engine for the time being at least, and in the foreseeable future as you know we are working on the Unreal Engine from Epic. This was one of the key reasons why we decided this was the only one.”
This does mean that CD Projekt is turning its back on its original plans for Cyberpunk 2077. For example, alongside the single-player RPG, the studio planned for a free-to-play multiplayer game that will likely never see the light of day.
The bungled launch of Cyberpunk 2077 cannot be forgotten, and while Phantom Liberty’s 2.0 patch seems to improve everything about the game, it’s still been a struggle for CD Projekt. While the abandonment of RED Engine is sad to see, the studio’s upcoming Witcher reboot and Cyberpunk sequel could benefit immensely.
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty launches on Xbox, PlayStation and PC on September 26th, 2023. Will the expansion be able to push CD Projekt back into its previously glowing reputation?