Cyberpunk 2077 might get multiplayer post-launch

At one point Cyberpunk 2077 was envisioned with some sort of online multiplayer in mind, but CD Projekt RED says singleplayer comes first.

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Cyberpunk 2077 could get a multiplayer mode at some point, but lead quest designer Pawel Sasko says the sci-fi FPS RPG will be 100% singleplayer when it releases in April 2020.

"Yes, 100 per cent [Cyberpunk 2077 will be singleplayer at launch]. We're not really working on multiplayer, our sole focus is single-player. We'll do that, then we'll see. We're not saying no but we're not saying yes. If something does happen it will definitely be post-launch and that's as much as I can say right now," Sasko told Eurogamer.

CDPR recently said Cyberpunk 2077 should have huge post-launch expansions that rival The Witcher 3 in scope.

Sasko's words also match up with CDPR co-founder Marcin Iwinski's assurances that the team won't carve out content to sell later as DLC. If Cyberpunk gets a GTA Online-style mode with a new form of singleplayer dynamism and gameplay-blending, CD Projekt RED won't let online content detract from their main singleplayer vision.

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Even if Cyberpunk 2077 has some sort of online live service multiplayer component, singleplayer stories always come first for the studio.

That being said, there's quite a bit of evidence that Cyberpunk 2077 could get multiplayer of some kind. Here's a timeline that chronicles that evidence:

Back in 2016, CD Projekt RED was awarded a grant from the Polish government to help pay for Cyberpunk 2077's development. A number of gameplay features were listed, including living, breathing cities and real-time AI, as well as seamless multiplayer. Here's how CDPR defined the feature in its filing:

"Seamless Multiplayer: complex technology for making unique multiplayer gameplay mechanics, including the ability to search for opponents, manage game session, replicate objects, and support for different game modes along with a unique set of dedicated tools."

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In 2017, CDPR confirmed Cyberpunk 2077 wouldn't have lootboxes, leading many to believe the online features were scrapped. We thought the contrary, of course.

In June 2018, CDPR told Eurogamer it had a Cyberpunk 2077 multiplayer mode in R&D.

Then in October 2018, CD Projekt RED teamed up with DigitalScapes, a company that specializes in online gaming services like cloud management. By this time Gwent had been out for a while, and CDPR could've teamed up with DigitalScapes to power Cyberpunk 2077's multiplayer component.

Whether or not CDPR scrapped Cyberpunk 2077's multiplayer remains to be seen. Remember the game is a massively expensive production that's been in development for some time, and the company probably had to pare back or even cut out a lot of content they wanted in the final game. Such is the crux of games development.

Cyberpunk 2077 will release on April 16, 2020 on PS4, Xbox One and PC.