Op-Ed
No Man’s Sky and Cyberpunk 2077 Botched Launch are not Similar
Despite having a disastrous launch, the ordeal of No Man’s Sky and Cyberpunk 2077 are not parallel examples.
Differences Between the launch of No Man’s Sky and Cyberpunk 2077
In the aftermath Cyberpunk 2077 disastrous launch, many have been drawing parallels to other such launches. Highly anticipated games that have a botched launch are not new. Comparisons have been made to other titles that had high hopes only to have a rocky or embarrassing release. Optimistic gamers have pointed out that numerous titles that had a bad launch would find redemption in the future. Some with an optimistic view have pointed out to No Man’s Sky botched launch only for the game to redeem itself.
While the sentiment makes sense, the parallel comparison is misplaced. That is because the launch of No Man’s Sky and Cyberpunk 2077 are nothing a like. Being a disastrous launch is the only factor they share. Everything else about what went wrong is radically different.
The Bad Launch
Back in 2016, No Man’s Sky was promoted as an epic odyssey that will have players explore the galaxy. Gamers were told they get to explore different worlds using a verity of vehicles, encounter majestic creatures while building a community in the cosmos. Despite the hype, it was not the experience players had at launch. There were worlds to explore but they were baron and devoid of the Eco-systems that were promised. Players would have to explore the cosmos alone with star ships that functioned the same. Overall, the game was basically a walking simulator that had same excitement as watching paint dry.
For eight years, Cyberpunk 2077 was promoted as an adaptation to Mike Pondsmith acclaimed table top game. Players were told they will get to create their own journey in the streets of Night City. They could walk the streets, explore a livid community while their actions determined how the story is told. When the game launched, it was a broken mess. Fans who are playing it on PC or upgraded consoles are exploring a world riddled with glitches. Those who wanted to play it on a standard console have not had the chance to experience Night City. In the end, it will be a classic example of what happens when leadership fails to value the work of QA testers. Despite these major problems, the game delivered what it promised and it’s fun to play (when it works).
At the time of writing this, I’ve put over 30 hours into Cyberpunk 2077 since launch. Meanwhile, I only put five hours into No Man’s Sky since its launch back in 2016. Even though the game has changed a lot since, I’ve had no real incentive to give No Man’s Sky another chance.
A Different Parallel Tale
Despite having a disastrous launch, the ordeal of No Man’s Sky and Cyberpunk 2077 are not parallel examples. One studio promised players the chance to explore the cosmos and instead launched a walking simulator. Another studio promised players an adventure in Night City and it delivered (despite the bugs and glitches). That being said, CD Projekt Red still has a chance at redemption (they just need to do right by their fans).
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Stan Rezaee
Stan Rezaee is the founder and Editor of 8Bit/Digi. He is a journalist and gamer from the Bay Area who has been writing about the medium for over five years.
READ THE ROOM there is no reason to defend this game. It’s broken because CDPR was more focused on pandering than making a game that works.
Source who is comparing Cyberpunk 2077 launch to No Man Sky? If you don’t put a link then what is your point you got no story or argument to make!
No man’s sky was never marketed as a conmunity building game. Never. The two early mentions of multiplayer were both told to be extremely rare occurences.
No man’s sky was a shallow game When it launched, but it was much closer to what was marketed than what it now has become. I am glad the game has managed to evolve to become something “greater”, but the people claiming the game finally delivered on the promised experience are simply wrong.
No man’s sky was always about solitary exploration of a procedurally generated universe. The main form of progression was always marketed as a journey towards the center and the catalogization of creatures and fauna. It was never marketed to be a space sim in the way people expected. The few actual missing features at launch where systems orbiting suns and the actual interconnectivity of systems, sand worms and of course the already mentioned lack of any form of multiplayer. However, none of those would have any meaningful impact to gameplay. The game played as adtvertized, but people’s expectations were out of this world.
I don’t think you understand what the word “livid” means, unless you’re saying that the developers correctly predicted people’s reaction to this game.