RPG Blog
Related Articles
Netflix recently released Cyberpunk: Edge Runners to resounding success. The series, produced by CD Projekt Red, Trigger Studios and R. Talsorian Games Inc., made its way to the top 5 most-watched shows on Netflix and received the cyberpunk IP a second chance in the limelight.
After the disastrous launch of Cyberpunk: 2077 by CD Projekt Red in Q4 2020, the studio and IP lost credibility as the product failed to live up to the hype generated since its first teaser in 2013. Despite high initial numbers, early consumers reported that the game was released in an unfinished state. Glitches and bugs were rampant, leaving many disappointed with the final release. The community’s response was so poor that CD Projekt Red began offering refunds for the game, admitting to their audience that the released product did not live up to expectations.
That was the feeling for two years after release, with many consumers not giving Cyberpunk: 2077 a second chance. The studio slowly worked on fixing the game’s major bugs and issues in the interim to try to retain the audience that stuck around throughout the ordeal. Everything was going to change with the release of Cyberpunk: Edge Runners. The release immediately shot to the top of the charts on Netflix and showed what kind of story this IP could tell. One of the main companies involved in the production of the film, Trigger is a renowned animation studio known to many for its wild and hard-hitting style of animation. The setting and history of cyberpunk mixed with Trigger’s animation created excellent visual and dialogue-focused storytelling that appealed to a large audience.
The success of edge runners had a ripple effect, bringing an entirely new audience back to Cyberpunk: 2077. While the game averaged between 10,000 and 20,000 players before its release, the show’s success has led the daily active player count to reach over 80,000, which continues to rise. The success has proven to be one of the most effective advertisements for a gaming product in recent years. This push coincides with the recent announcement of the first major expansion of Cyberpunk: 2077, which will likely see a surge in sales due to the popularity the IP has suddenly generated. The question is whether the studios behind edge runners can capitalize on this success. Trigger is a studio that rarely does second seasons, so there probably won’t be a second season of edge runners. Cyberpunk: 2077 still lacks many features promised at launch and has unrefined systems that left many wanting. The next few months will be crucial for the future of both edge runners and 2077which could lead to the revitalization of intellectual property in the current media and gaming climate.
cyberpunk has two major releases coming for gaming and tabletop RPG. Although details are scarce, CD Projekt Red has shared some information about upcoming deals. Cyberpunk: Blackchrome will be the first paid expansion for Cyberpunk: Redfeaturing new selections of cyberware and weapons for tabletop gaming. Cyberpunk: 2077 also gets its first and potentially only expansion titled phantom freedom, which will primarily focus on the new United States of America. These two versions will be closely watched after the release of edge runners, both of which have the potential to increase the number of booming players if their quality is up to the show. If the endgame of these new builds goes well, uppers may decide to keep adding new expansions to Cyberpunk: 2077, but if not, that may be the end of the game’s major new content. Until then, fans of cyberpunk will have to wait. At least edge runners gave some hope that even after the failed launch of 2077, cyberpunk will never fade as long as people see the decor in its best light.
Picture from Netflix
