Cyberpunk 2077 next-gen release inches closer

Cyberpunk 2077 may soon release on PS5, according to one Twitter user who spotted the game in the PlayStation Network backend.

Twitter account PlayStation Game Size has garnered a reputation for identifying the release dates and storage sizes of upcoming games by rummaging around the backend databases of the PlayStation store.

From its latest datamine, it’s shared what looks to be a new piece of cover art for Cyberpunk 2077, and suggested the next-gen version of the game will release between the middle of February and early March.

That timescale aligns with publisher CD Projekt Red’s release window. Back in October, the publisher estimated Cyberpunk 2077’s PS5 and Xbox Series X versions would release in the first quarter of 2022.

Similarly, a couple of weeks ago, the game was updated on Steam with a build that’s yet to go live. Many suspected the new build indicates a major patch or update will be coming soon, perhaps bringing next-gen content to the game.

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Analysis: hopefully no more delays

Although it’s only a rumor that hasn’t yet been confirmed by CD Projekt Red or Sony, the imminent release of Cyberpunk 2077 on PS5 – and likely Xbox Series X alongside it – seems likely given its projected release window,

Of course, the game has a history of delays. Its original release was pushed back several times before it finally hit shelves in December 2020, and its next-gen launch was originally scheduled for late 2021, before being delayed to early this year. 

It’s not impossible that CD Projekt Red will delay the game again. The publisher will be looking to release the next-gen version of the game in as polished a state as possible, so as to recuperate much of the goodwill and reputation they lost following its original, bug-riddled launch. If the company thinks it can only achieve that by pushing the game back once more, another delay could happen.

Fans of the game, as well as those who never picked it up, have high hopes that the PS5 and Xbox Series X versions of Cyberpunk 2077 will fix its most egregious flaws. A smooth next-gen release might not totally redeem the sci-fi RPG, but would go at least some way to rewriting its position in the eyes of many.

If you do currently own the game on PS4 or Xbox One, don’t forget that owners of current-gen editions will be able to upgrade to next-gen versions for free