Cyberpunk 2077 will work on PS5 and Xbox Series X from day one
It'll be backwards compatible on PS5 and Xbox Series X at launch
It was previously revealed that Cyberpunk 2077 has been delayed from September 17 to November 19, but now CD Projekt Red has confirmed the game will work on both next-gen consoles at launch. In addition, a "later upgrade" that takes "full advantage" of both next-gen consoles will be available for free.
The developer confirmed this after a recent earnings call discussed the next-gen version of the game.
One interpretation of CD Projekt Red's announcement on Twitter suggests the PS5 will launch before the game's November 19 release, while the Xbox Series X will arrive after the game comes out. Neither console has an official release date yet, but it's an interesting take. See what you think from the wording below:
We are happy to confirm that Cyberpunk 2077 will be backwards compatible with both next-gen consoles! Your PS4 copy of the game will work on PS5 on launch day. Anyone who buys the game on Xbox One will be able to play their copy on Xbox Series X when the console launches too!June 19, 2020
Honestly, it's not that far-fetched, but the phrasing of the tweet is a little too awkward to take as fact in this regard either way.
Earlier reports confirmed the proper next-gen version of Cyberpunk 2077 is coming in 2021. High-end PC players, of course, are likely to have the best experience from day one.
- What we know about PS5 games
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This isn't a huge surprise
Given that Cyberpunk 2077 was confirmed as one of the first games to support Xbox Smart Delivery, it's no surprise that the next-gen version of the game is free.
While Sony has no equivalent to the Smart Delivery program yet, publishers are figuring out their own solutions, with EA announcing that both FIFA and Madden will support 'Dual Entitlement' on PS5. This means you get the next-gen version at no extra cost, which makes a day one purchase a lot easier to justify on PS4.
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We'll next hear about Cyberpunk 2077 during the Night City Wire live stream on June 25.
Samuel is a PR Manager at game developer Frontier. Formerly TechRadar's Senior Entertainment Editor, he's an expert in Marvel, Star Wars, Netflix shows and general streaming stuff. Before his stint at TechRadar, he spent six years at PC Gamer. Samuel is also the co-host of the popular Back Page podcast, in which he details the trials and tribulations of being a games magazine editor – and attempts to justify his impulsive eBay games buying binges.