Sony Interactive Entertainment is removing Cyberpunk 2077 from the PlayStation Store for digital purchase “until further notice.”
The platform holder also confirmed that it would be offering refunds to those who purchased the game from the PlayStation Store.
Analyst Daniel Ahmad points out that this is the first time in the history of the industry that a platform holder, not a publisher, has decided to delist the game.
The management of CD Projekt, however, seems to be pushing a slightly different narrative with the following statement: “The decision [to delist Cyberpunk 2077] was undertaken following our discussion with SIE regarding a full refund for all gamers who had purchased Cyberpunk 2077 via PlayStation Store and want a refund at this time. All copies of the game previously purchased digitally on PlayStation Store remain available for use by their respective buyers. Gamers can still buy physical versions of the game in retail and mail order stores. All copies, whether digital or physical, will continue to receive support and updates.”
Regardless of whose decision it really is, “management /production processes need to improve,” Ahmad says. “It turns out crunching non stop for months doesn’t make a game good. It negatively impacts not just the health of devs, but the game too.” The analyst also expects to see a wider impact on the industry in terms of guidelines for marketing, certification and refunds from a publisher and platform holders.