Cyberpunk 2077 is being investigated by a Polish regulator, CD Projekt could be fined

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By Adam Vjestica
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CD Projekt could lose a lot of 'eddies'

Cyberpunk 2077
(Image credit: CD Projekt Red)

Cyberpunk 2077 was one of the biggest video game releases of 2020, despite a litany of game-breaking bugs and a more than rocky launch. But even though the game was deemed an early commercial success, a chunk of CD Projekt's profits could be under threat from a Polish regulator. 

The Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) has now stepped in after the game’s dire launch, and has promised to check in on how CD Projekt is fixing the game, specifically on base consoles such as the PS4 and Xbox One. 

In a statement to national legal newspaper Dziennik Gazeta Prawna (via Benchmark and Google Translate) a UOKiK’s spokesman outlined what it expects to see from CD Projekt over the next few months. 

“We ask the entrepreneur to explain the problems with the game and the actions taken by him. We will check how the manufacturer is working on introducing corrections or solving difficulties that prevent the game from playing on different consoles, but also how it intends to act in relation to people who have complained and are dissatisfied with the purchase due to the inability to play the game on their equipment despite the manufacturer's previous assurances."

Unfortunately for CD Projekt, the company’s stock has been hit hard as a result of Cyberpunk 2077’s problems, costing it more than $1 billion. If the UOKiK determines that the game hasn’t improved over the coming months, there’s a chance the company could be fined up to 10% of its annual income for 2020. 

In a previous statement to fans on Twitter, CD Projekt Red promised two significant Cyberpunk 2077 updates in January and February, and has released a number of hotfixes since launch. 

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Punked

Cyberpunk 2077 was unceremoniously pulled from the PlayStation Store by Sony shortly after release, and while you can still download it from the Microsoft Store on Xbox, it comes with a warning that users may encounter significant performance issues. 

Both companies also offered full refunds for Cyberpunk 2077 to customers who were not satisfied with the state of the game, even going against previous store policy to facilitate refund requests.

While Cyberpunk 2077's launch was certainly controversial on consoles, it still scored favorably with critics who played the game on PC. The game's performance has already improved significantly since launch, too, so it's unlikely the developer will fall foul of UOKiK's demands. Still, the looming threat of a hefty fine only cranks up the pressure on an already under fire studio. 

Adam Vjestica
Adam Vjestica

Adam was formerly TRG's Hardware Editor. A law graduate with an exceptional track record in content creation and online engagement, Adam has penned scintillating copy for various technology sites and also established his very own award-nominated video games website. He’s previously worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor and once played Halo 5: Guardians for over 51 hours for charity. He is now an editor at The Shortcut.