CD Projekt Red Could Be Hit With Massive Cyberpunk 2077 Fine
Just when it looked like CD Projekt Red was out of the woods, the acclaimed video game developer could be smacked with a massive Cyberpunk 2077 fine. 2020 was a huge year for CD Projekt Red after it finally released its sci-fi shooter after eight years of development. That being said, it's also a year the company would probably like to put behind it after Cyberpunk 2077 was hit by a barrage of complaints.
From those who lost patience over the numerous release delays, to others who claim the game overpromised on what it could deliver in terms of graphical abilities, it wasn't exactly the rave reviews everyone was hoping for. All of this is before we get to critiques over the main storyline (or lack thereof). Unfortunately, it seems Cyberpunk 2077 was the victim of its own success and the title's much-hyped release. To say CD Projekt Red went on the marketing offensive would be an understatement. Ironically, it's this that has landed the developer in its latest hot water.
Cyberpunk 2077 fine: What's going on?
According to Polish publication Benchmark, the country's Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) is watching CD Projekt Red with the eyes of a hawk. The UOKiK works on behalf of the general public in Poland to ensure that consumer interests are being met. Even though UOKiK hasn't taken any action yet, it's monitoring the state of Cyberpunk 2077 closely. In particular, the organisation is seeing how CD Projekt Red is trying to fix the various "broken" versions of the game.
The report explains, "We ask the entrepreneur to explain the problems with the game and the actions taken by him. We will check how the manufacturer is working on introducing corrections or solving difficulties that prevent the game from playing on different consoles, but also how it intends to act in relation to people who have complained and are dissatisfied with the purchase due to the inability to play the game on their equipment despite the manufacturer's previous assurances". There's already been a giant patch that tried to tackle the plethora of glitches and bugs, however, it's clear there's still a lot wrong with Cyberpunk 2077.
With Cyberpunk 2077's launch on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One being particularly problematic, it's these two versions that are UOKiK's top priority. Alongside arguments the game was never supposed to run on current-gen consoles, who could forget when Sony took the almost unprecedented step of pulling the title from the PlayStation Store? Even if most of us are looking ahead at the next-gen overhaul for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S this year, there's a huge number of fans who bought it specifically for current-gen.
Cyberpunk 2077 fine: What's next?
UOKiK isn't alone in its assault on Cyberpunk 2077. In the USA, one law firm launched a class-action suit against CD Projekt Red and cited joint-CEO Adam Kicinski's claim the game was running "surprisingly well" in the immediate run-up to its release. Elsewhere, UOL reveals a giant Cyberpunk 2077 mural in São Paolo has violated the Clean City Law and landed marketing firm NaLata NaLata with a £301,000/$410,000 fine.
The city deems that no external advertising can be displayed publically, and while the Cyberpunk name doesn't appear on the mural, it's clearly to promote the game. The mural was completed between November and December, but just months after its unveiling, it could be torn down.
When it comes to the UOK'K situation, it remains to be seen if it will get any worse. If it does, the organisation could fine CD Projekt Red up to 10% of its annual revenue. It's unlikely things would go this far, but coupled with reports of already plummeting stock prices, CD Projekt Red could do with a bit of positive news right now. Thankfully, there are plenty of things to look forward to for Cyberpunk 2077. As well as the next-gen release, there's the first of the game's highly anticipated DLCs and new details surrounding the eventual debut of a standalone multiplayer.
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Images via CD Projekt Red
