Summary
- Cyberpunk 2077 has made a successful comeback after its troubled launch, with the recent Phantom Liberty expansion showcasing its progress.
- CD Projekt Red needs to capitalize on the positive reputation of Cyberpunk 2077 without committing to another large-scale project.
- Half-sequels, like Spider-Man: Miles Morales, could be a way forward for Cyberpunk 2077 and other popular IPs, allowing for meaningful narratives between mainline releases.
Cyberpunk 2077 has completed a respectable comeback in terms of how the franchise is now viewed by many fans, with the IP largely moving away from the negativity that surrounded its problematic launch in 2020. CD Projekt Red has had to work hard in the way of post-launch updates to make the title more reflective of what it originally promised to be. The recent release of the Phantom Liberty expansion is a testament to just how far the game has come.
Cyberpunk 2077 now finds itself in an unusual position, with its newfound sense of pride and polish coming at the end of its life cycle. Since Phantom Liberty is the only major story expansion that 2077 will receive, CD Projekt Red needs to capitalize on the positive reputation of the IP in the near future without committing to another large-scale project. With this in mind, CD Projekt Red should look towards the God of War franchise, which itself is rumored to be releasing a sort of half-sequel to the recent Ragnarok in the near future.
Half-Sequels Could Be the Way Forward For Cyberpunk 2077 and God of War
Half-sequels have become a growing trend in the AAA gaming industry as of late, with the likes of Spider-Man: Miles Morales being a great example of how successful these projects can be. Half-sequels allow popular IPs to create meaningful narratives that supplement mainline releases without the same level of expectation and scale, tiding fans over during the downtime between major projects.
A lot of buzz is surrounding the God of War franchise for this very reason, with it being heavily rumored that 2022's Ragnarok will receive its own half-sequel in the near future. Many expect this alleged project to bring closure to the remaining narrative threads of Ragnarok, while potentially featuring things like new playable characters. It will likely be some time before the next mainline God of War releases, and a half-sequel may be necessary to maintain the flow of the franchise in the meantime.
While a half-sequel to God of War Ragnarok is heavily rumored, it has not been officially confirmed.
This translates well to the current state of Cyberpunk 2077, with Phantom Liberty marking the end of the title's narrative offerings. While 2077 will eventually get a mainline sequel, this is probably an extremely far-off release, since 2077 launched a full eight years after being announced. CD Projekt Red cannot afford to let the success of 2077, Phantom Liberty, and even Cyberpunk Edgerunners to fizzle out during this long wait. A half-sequel could be the perfect measure to avoid this.
Cyberpunk 2077 Already Has the Perfect Blueprint For a Half-Sequel
The lore of Cyberpunk as a franchise is perfect for a half-sequel, going much deeper than Night City and what was explored in 2077. This would give a Cyberpunk half-sequel a huge creative license of characters and settings, but it would probably be wise if the project stayed somewhat linked to the events of 2077 itself. An obvious route for this title would be to focus completely on Johnny Silverhand as a main character, long before he comes into contact with 2077's V.
The half-sequel could alternatively tell a story set during Silverhand's peak of notoriety in the 2020s, where the player controls a brand-new character who witnesses these important events first-hand. This would allow players to experience Night City in a fascinating new time period, with 2077 itself only briefly showing how the location felt fifty years prior to the main story. Of course, this would allow CD Projekt Red to reuse a lot of assets by maintaining Night City as the core location, which is perfect for the lesser resources available to a half-sequel. With the future of Cyberpunk currently being up in the air, a half-sequel may be the perfect way to steady the ship for the time being.
Cyberpunk 2077
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 76 /100 Critics Rec: 66%
- Released
- December 10, 2020
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- CD Projekt Red
- Publisher(s)
- CD Projekt Red
- Engine
- REDengine 4
- Cross-Platform Play
- ps, xbox, pc
- Cross Save
- yes
WHERE TO PLAY
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
- How Long To Beat
- 25 Hours
- Metascore
- 75
- PS Plus Availability
- Extra & Premium
