CD Projekt Red reportedly changes bonus system after buggy Cyberpunk 2077 release

Cyberpunk 2077 Motorbike
Cyberpunk 2077 Motorbike (Image credit: Windows Central)

What you need to know

  • Cyberpunk 2077 released on December 10, 2020 after multiple delays.
  • According to Bloomberg, the studio was planning to give out bonuses based on the Metacritic average of Cyberpunk 2077 hitting 90 or above.
  • This is reportedly being changed after Cyberpunk 2077 launched to criticism of major technical issues on multiple platforms.

Cyberpunk 2077 is finally here and with it, many players are finally enjoying the streets of Night City, especially those who play it on high-end PC hardware and see the many different technical options on display, such as is mentioned in our review. Still, many other players are seeing technical issues such as bugs or other problems, as well as general poor performance on lower-end hardware, as documented by Digital Foundry and elsewhere.

According to a report from Bloomberg, CD Projekt Red was originally intending to hand out bonuses based on the overall critical performance of the game by achieving a Metacritic average of 90 or above. At the moment this article is being written, Cyberpunk 2077 has a Metacritic score of 90 but that could change.

Adam Badowski, studio head of CD Projekt Red and creative director on Cyberpunk 2077, reportedly sent the following email to staff members.

"We initially had a bonus system that was focused on the game's ratings and the release date, but after consideration, we believe that measure is simply not fair under the circumstances. We underestimated the lengths and complexity involved to make this a reality, and still you did everything you could to deliver an ambitious, special game."

CD Projekt Red reportedly uses a "token" system where developers are given tokens by staff they report to. These tokens would've translated into different bonuses once the game released and achivements like the aforementioned Metacritic score were garnered. Due to the state of the game at launch, this will no longer be the case and the bonuses will be guaranteed. Staff working on Cyberpunk 2077 were reportedly working through extensive crunch sessions in the leadup to the game's release.

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Samuel Tolbert
Freelance Writer

Samuel Tolbert is a freelance writer covering gaming news, previews, reviews, interviews and different aspects of the gaming industry, specifically focusing on Xbox and PC gaming on Windows Central. You can find him on Twitter @SamuelTolbert.