A lawsuit filed on behalf of CD Projekt Red investors after the tumultuous launch of the developer’s Cyberpunk 2077 title has now been settled with CDPR paying only a fraction of what the original damages could have been, as first reported by Video Games Chronicle.
The lawsuit was filed in December 2020 by Rosen Law Firm in response to the release of the game and argued that the game was “virtually unplayable” on certain consoles. The lawsuit also argued that the game’s launch state hurt investors; the company’s stock value did take a hit after Cyberpunk 2077‘s launch.
Interestingly, though, the lawsuit has settled for a much smaller amount than initially anticipated. According to a consultant for the lawsuit’s plaintiffs, as cited by VGC, they estimated that potential damages could be as high as $11 million, but the settlement was only for $1.85 million, which results in approximately $0.49 of compensation per each eligible stock share of CDPR.
The game’s poor launch has become another example in gaming of a game that stumbled out of the gate only to slowly recover over time. The incredible number of technical problems led to poor critical reviews, refunds being issued, and even a six-month absence from the PlayStation store.
But the game has seen an incredible resurgence in both sales and acclaim over the past two years, most notably during 2022. Dedicated service to the game by CDPR via consistent updates led to the developers earning the “Labor of Love” award from the Steam Awards for 2022, and it was one of the most played games on the Steam platform over the past year.
CDPR has had to alter its plans for the game’s future, though, following its journey over the past two years. While the multiplayer component appears to be scrapped for now, the devs are pushing ahead with a highly anticipated expansion in Phantom Liberty, while planning an eventual sequel years down the line.
