'Cyberpunk 2077' Next-Gen Upgrade Will Use ‘All New Functions And Technical Possibilities’

Cyberpunk 2077, one of the biggest games of this year, released on console last week with a decidedly disappointing thud. While the game looks and runs great on PC and next-gen hardware, the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One are really struggling with the open-world RPG.

Developer CD Projekt RED has now set about attempting some kind of damage control, apologising for the state of the game on last-gen consoles, as well as vowing to rebuild its reputation by promising refunds and fixes as soon as possible.

"We would like to start by apologising for not showing you the game on base last-gen consoles before it premiered and, in consequence, not allowing you to make a more informed decision about your purchase," CDPR wrote in a statement earlier this like. "We should have paid more attention to making it run better on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One."

Cyberpunk 2077

While patches and fixes for the last-gen version of the game are on the way, many players are already wondering if it's worth simply waiting for the free next-gen upgrade of Cyberpunk 2077, which is expected next year. To be clear, you can play the game on PS5 and Xbox Series X right now, but you're still playing the last-gen version of the game - albeit greatly improved in terms of loading times and visuals, thanks to the increased power of the next-gen hardware.

In a recent video interview with Bloomberg TV, CDPR co-founder Marcin Iwiński talked a little bit about what we can expect from the "true" Cyberpunk 2077 next-gen upgrade when it hits PS5 and Xbox Series consoles.

"So, right now the game works in back compat, and it works very well," said Iwinski. "The consoles are much faster. And then, we're planning a free next-gen update for everyone who's got a next-gen console. So, if you buy the game now, you can play it on next-gen. It works great because of the higher capabilities of the new consoles. But then, with the next-gen update, we'll use all the functionalities or the new functions and technical possibilities provided by the new platforms."

As we've already seen, PC is by far the best way to experience Cyberpunk 2077 right now... to the extent that CDPR made the questionable move of only providing reviewers with PC codes, leaving the game's console performance to be revealed in all its true horror mere days before launch.

If next-gen consoles can come close to replicating the Cyberpunk 2077 we're seeing on high-end PCs, we still have something to look forward to. But as I noted in my Cyberpunk 2077 review, it's more than bugs and technical issues that hold the game back from true greatness.

Topics: PlayStation 5, News, Xbox Series X, Cyberpunk 2077