Cyberpunk 2077
2020
The beloved Polish gaming company CD Projekt Red had hyped up this game for almost a decade. In the gaming community, this was the most anticipated title of the year, if not the century. Promoting the game in 2019 celebrity Keanu Reeves said: “Let me tell you, the feeling of being there, of walking the streets of the future, is really going to be breathtaking.”
The massive hype led to massive disappointment. Gamers around the world eagerly awaited the game of the future, with real-world graphics and gameplay. Instead, they were greeted with bugs and glitches including tiny trees covering the floors of buildings, tanks falling from the sky and characters standing up without pants while riding motorcycles. Angry fans demanded refunds and online retailers stopped selling the game.
2024 update
In 2023 Cyberpunk 2077 made an extraordinary comeback. Reviewers report that the developer did not give up and has made massive improvements since the disastrous launch, and that 3 years later the game has been transformed into a fantastic immersive experience that surpasses expectations.
Additional info:
The New York Times Cyberpunk 2077 Was Supposed to Be the Biggest Video Game of the Year. What Happened?