Exactly a year ago, Cyberpunk 2077 was released. Due to numerous problems, CD Projekt shares have fallen by 54% during this time. At the same time, sales of the game are far from initially optimistic forecasts and may turn out to be unsatisfactory.Analysts expect the stock to fall by another 12% in the next 12 months, according to Bloomberg.
Experts are confident that the Polish company is still far from restoring its reputation among both players and investors.
The lack of accurate data on Cyberpunk 2077 sales does not help to solve the situation either. Last year, CD Projekt only reported that in 10 days after the release, the game’s circulation exceeded 13 million copies. Since then, the company has not disclosed official figures.
According to analysts, at the end of 2020 Cyberpunk 2077 sold a total circulation of 13.7 million copies. Before the problematic launch, experts predicted that sales of the title for the year would reach 30 million. However, as a result of numerous technical problems and scandals, expectations have significantly decreased.
According to the latest forecasts of analysts, in 2021, sales of Cyberpunk 2077 will reach approximately 3.6 million copies. Thus, the total circulation of the game for 12 months may be approximately 17.3 million copies (the average value based on the estimates of nine analysts). These are still good indicators for the modern industry, but insufficient for a project of the Cyberpunk 2077 level.
Thanks to numerous patches, the attitude towards the game is gradually changing for the better. The latest reviews of Cyberpunk 2077 on Steam are “very positive”. Thanks to the fall sale, the title has returned to the bestseller list of the Valve store. In addition, the release of next-gen versions of Cyberpunk 2077 is planned for 2022, which should spur the interest of the audience.
However, analysts remain skeptical about the financial future of the project. CD Projekt is expected to sell approximately 5.3 million copies next year. Thus, the total circulation of the game in two years may amount to a little more than 22 million copies.
Another problem is discounts. CD Projekt initially did not plan to lower prices for Cyberpunk 2077 in the first year after release. However, the game is increasingly appearing at various sales, and the last time it was sold at half price. Because of this, it is difficult to calculate the average cost of one copy and predict exactly how much money Cyberpunk 2077 brings.
Also, some experts fear that CD Projekt may trap itself as a result. By devoting a lot of time and resources to fixing Cyberpunk 2077, the company is delaying the release of new potential hits. Because of this, she will have to rely on the revenue of only one big game for many years.
CD Projekt itself, meanwhile, is not going to stop supporting Cyberpunk 2077. CEO Adam Kiciński believes that the game will get better and will be sold for years. The company has also repeatedly stated that it intends to work on improving the project for as long as it takes.