After 8 years in development and numerous delays, Cyberpunk 2077 finally released last week. One of the most anticipated video game releases in 2020, it sold over 4.72 million copies on PC alone in its first 24 hours, breaking numerous sales records.
Then people actually started playing the game, and the tone shifted from hype to horror.
Players expected an immersive cyberpunk sci-fi world on par with developer CD Projekt Red’s beloved fantasy RPG The Witcher 3; instead, they got an unpolished game that runs poorly on the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and modest PC hardware. But even on platforms powerful enough to play the game smoothly, Cyberpunk 2077 is teeming with bugs. A little open-world unpleasantness is normal from games as big and detailed as this one, but the game’s launch-day experience is a complete mess.
CD Projekt Red has since issued an apology for Cyberpunk 2077’s poor launch quality, and says it is working on post-release patches to improve gameplay performance and reduce the bugs. However, the company says these patches won’t make the PS4 and Xbox One version look, “like it’s running on a high-spec PC or next-gen console, but it will be closer to that experience than it is now.”
Even wilder, the developer is encouraging players to ask for refunds if they feel dissatisfied by their experience with Cyberpunk 2077. I can’t remember the last time a game developer suggested that course of action, but here we are. If you’re an unhappy Cyberpunk customer, the company has set up a dedicated email address you can contact for help getting a full refund for the game.
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First, however, you’ll want to request a refund for digital copies using the links below, or by returning any boxed copy to the store you bought it from.
Note that digital refunds are normally restricted to recently-purchased games that have been played for less than two hours, but some users report getting refunds even if they played for longer. Also note that many online retailers like Amazon and Walmart have extended their return windows on items purchased during the holiday season, which could help you secure a refund if you get a copy of Cyberpunk 2077 as a gift.
If you run into any issues obtaining a refund, you’ll want to email CD Projekt RED’s dedicated refund support team at helpmerefund@cdprojektred.com to see if they can help. You only have until Dec. 21 to bug them for assistance, so don’t dawdle.
