Gaming companies have a major lesson to learn from the way CD Projekt Red was bombarded five years ago by public fury among gamers. In December 2020, Cyberpunk 2077 was meant to be a game-changer for the industry at large. Instead, technical issues that riddled the console releases resulted in Sony briefly pulling the game from online stores, and thousands of players demanded refunds. While the bugs were eventually sorted out and the game has since gone on to be an incredibly successful title for CD Projekt, the company is still dealing with the aftermath of that development.
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As reported by GamesRadar, CD Projekt joint CEO Michał Nowakowski believes that the company is still contending with a damaged reputation in the eyes of the public, noting that “I’m not 100% convinced we went through the full redemption arc… I’m convinced that we lost the faith of some people indefinitely, and that’s a fair thing. But I do hope we will be able to make it back — if not with The Witcher 4, then with whatever comes next.” That was a harsh lesson for the developer to learn, but an important one to keep in mind given the current state of the games industry. In fact, more companies in the industry should really keep that in mind, especially as their decisions increasingly alienate players.
Reputation Matters In The Gaming Industry
The gaming industry is one that lives and breathes in passion. Fan loyalty to brands and IP can drive enthusiasm and excitement, helping transform minor hits into enduring franchises with the right amount of enthusiasm. Conversely, a sense of disappointment or betrayal in the gaming space feels so much more personal than in other entertainment industries, as so much emotion and identity can be placed in the passion for those companies and games. As such, turning fans against certain brands is the quickest way to upend fan excitement and doom a company. Just look at how quickly the reputation of developers suffers whenever generative AI is mentioned, as the greater modern gaming player base is frustrated with the practice.
Companies like Xbox Games, which have been struggling to turn around dismal predictions about the company’s future, suffered serious public blows in recent weeks that could do lasting damage to their reputation amid a stated effort to refresh the brand’s place in the gaming space. With gaming more prevalent and widespread than ever, it’s easy for frustrated gamers to move on to something different — leaving the other companies to try and figure out a way to recoup their losses, turn public sentiment around, or just give up entirely. In this industry, reputation is vital to the success of a developer, and losing it can be the quickest way to collapse under the weight of an often difficult business model.
Companies Need To Remember That They Could Share CD Projekt Red’s Troubles
As a reminder of how harsh things can go in the industry when public sentiment turns so thoroughly against a company, CD Projekt Red was wrecked by that development in terms of finances. As reported by Forbes at the time, CD Projekt Red stocks lost 75% of their value within six months of the disastrous initial release. While the company has since regained some financial assurances and new games like The Witcher 4 have player attention, the company is still dealing with the negative feelings and bruised reputation it suffered in light of the Cyberpunk 2077 release.
CD Projekt Red was only able to survive the flawed launch of Cyberpunk 2077 through a mix of established reputation and quick patchwork that improved the game. The passion for games like The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt and the eventual results of the Cyberpunk 2077 fixes were at least enough to win back a majority of gamers. The latter at least stymied the bleeding and allowed the company to turn the game into a genuine hit. However, the reputational hit is still being addressed, with the leadership of CD Projekt Red bluntly noting that they may never be able to undo the damage they suffered in the public eye from the launch. As a result, there are some gamers who may have simply lost forever.
Other gaming companies should keep that all in mind when planning out their next moves, as the wrong decision could end up being their last one in this industry. The games industry has always been a volatile one, where new beginnings can come out of crushing developments — just look at Sega, which entered (and then subsequently left) the console market in just over a decade before transitioning into a storied games publisher for multiple platforms. However, a damaged reputation can be tough to escape, something even a success like CD Projekt Red has been forced to reckon with.
Do you trust CD Projekt Red after the flawed launch of Cyberpunk 2077? Let us know your thoughts in the comments and on social media.
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