Hey everyone, it’s your friendly neighborhood lore-diver back at it again! So, I was catching up on some gaming industry talk recently, and I stumbled upon this super insightful interview with Pawel Sasko. For those who don’t know, he was the lead quest designer on Cyberpunk 2077 and has now moved up to associate director for the upcoming sequel. And let me tell you, what he had to say honestly surprised me—in the best way possible. He straight-up said that Cyberpunk 2077's journey, its whole redemption arc, is CD Projekt Red's "biggest achievement." Pause. Think about that for a second. Bigger than The Witcher 3? Bigger than one of the most beloved RPGs of all time? Now that is a bold statement, and it got me thinking: what makes a development team look back at what many called a catastrophic launch and call it their greatest victory?
From Broken Game to Overwhelmingly Positive: The Turnaround
Let's rewind a little. Do you all remember late 2020? I sure do. The hype for Night City was unreal. We were promised this groundbreaking, immersive RPG. And then... it dropped. The launch was, to put it politely, a mess. I mean, seriously, who can forget the memes? 
Characters T-posing, cars spawning inside other cars, NPCs clipping through the floor, and performance so rough on last-gen consoles it was basically a slideshow. The criticism wasn't just from players; critics pointed out tons of bugs and glitches, even though they praised the story and visuals. It got so bad, Sony removed the game from the PlayStation Store entirely! Can you imagine the pressure on the devs at CDPR? They had a full-blown PR nightmare on their hands.
But here's the thing they don't often show you in the highlight reels: they didn't run. They didn't hide. They put their heads down and got to work. Fast forward to today, in 2026, and look at the game now. On Steam, it's sitting pretty with an "Overwhelmingly Positive" rating. Websites and communities that once flamed it now list it among the best RPGs ever made. That's not just a comeback; that's a complete rewriting of the narrative. So, how did this happen? 🛠️
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Four Years of Updates: It wasn't a quick patch job. The team released a constant stream of massive updates, fixes, and free DLC over four years.
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Listening to the Community: They actively engaged with player feedback, addressing key issues and adding requested features.
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The Phantom Liberty Expansion: This wasn't just an add-on; it was a statement piece that showed what the core of Cyberpunk 2077 could truly be—a masterpiece in storytelling and world-building.
Battle of the Titans: Cyberpunk 2077 vs. The Witcher 3's Legacy
Okay, let's address the elephant in the room. Pawel Sasko said Cyberpunk's redemption feels like a "bigger achievement" than the success of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Woah. Now, I love Cyberpunk's vibe, but The Witcher 3 is like gaming royalty. It won Game of the Year, it defined a genre, and Geralt's saga is iconic. So what gives?
Sasko explained it perfectly. He said, and I'm paraphrasing here, "I would say it was definitely the hardest-earned achievement we have." He's a self-proclaimed "Cyberpunk person" and loves the IP more (though he loves both), but his point isn't just about preference. It's about the scale of the struggle. The Witcher 3 launched as a critical darling. Its success was, relatively speaking, a smooth ascent. Cyberpunk 2077? Its success was a brutal, grueling climb out of a very deep, very public hole.
Think of it like this:
| Aspect | The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt | Cyberpunk 2077 |
|---|---|---|
| Launch Reception | 🏆 Acclaimed, Game of the Year 2015 | ⚠️ Mixed, plagued by bugs & performance issues |
| Post-Launch Path | ✅ Continued success with expansions (Hearts of Stone, Blood & Wine) | 🔄 Years of intensive patching & re-building player trust |
| Developer's Sentiment (per Sasko) | A monumental, celebrated success. | The "hardest-earned" victory, born from immense difficulty. |
Sasko even admitted that if Cyberpunk had launched in its current, polished state, he might feel differently. But it didn't. The team had to fight for every scrap of goodwill they have now. That "uphill battle," as he called it, fundamentally changes how you view the accomplishment. It's not just about making a great game; it's about saving one from the brink and transforming it into a legend. 
What Does This Mean for Us Players and the Industry?
So, why should we care about a developer's perspective on their own work? Because this isn't just about one game. Cyberpunk 2077's story sets a powerful precedent. In an era where games can be shipped incomplete and fixed later (for better or worse), CDPR showed that genuine, sustained effort can actually redeem a project—and win back a fanbase. It sends a message: players' trust is fragile, but it can be rebuilt if you're willing to put in the real work.
As we look ahead to Project Orion (the Cyberpunk sequel), this context is crucial. The pressure is unimaginable. But you know what? I'm cautiously optimistic. A team that has been through the fire of a public redemption and came out stronger on the other side has learned lessons no smooth launch could ever teach. They know the cost of hype, the value of stability, and the weight of a promise. The journey to fix Night City wasn't just about patching code; it was about rebuilding a relationship with us, the players.
In the end, maybe that's the real "biggest achievement." Not just the charts or the ratings, but proving that a studio can listen, adapt, and fight for its vision until it's realized. It’s a messy, human story about creation and perseverance, and honestly? I think that's even more compelling than any braindance. What do you guys think? Is a hard-fought redemption more impressive than a flawless debut? Let me know down below! 👇
Anyway, that's my deep dive for today. Remember, chooms, sometimes the most epic stories aren't the ones in the game, but the ones about the game itself. Catch you on the next one!