Sony is pulling the PS4 version of 'Cyberpunk 2077' and offering refunds

The highly-anticipated launch of Cyberpunk 2077 has been rough on all platforms, but especially troublesome for owners of previous generation consoles. A few days ago developer CD Projekt Red apologized, and encouraged disappointed owners to seek refunds if they didn’t want to wait for a patch.

Now Sony has taken the seemingly unprecedented step of pulling the PS4 version from its digital store, and said that “we will begin to offer a full refund for all gamers who have purchased Cyberpunk 2077 via PlayStation Store and want a refund.” In a follow-up tweet, Sony acknowledged some people are having trouble accessing the form and said it’s “working to get it up and running as soon as possible.”

This would seemingly apply to those playing on PlayStation 5 as well, where the game runs better, but still in backwards compatibility mode. The game’s store page currently shows “release date to be determined.”

We’ve reached out to Microsoft to see if it has any similar change in mind, while anecdotal reports suggest varying levels of success in receiving a refund. According to Reuters, CD Projekt Red is “not in talks” with Microsoft about any arrangement, so for the time being, the game is a pseudo-digital console exclusive on Xbox platforms — assuming you can live with the issues.

In its statement about the issues players experience on “base last-gen consoles” and its choice not to show gameplay from those versions prior to release, CDPR said it planned for two large patches in January and February to fix the most “prominent” problems.

Update (11:09 PM ET): In a statement posted on its investor website, CD Projekt Red acknowledged the move, saying “The decision 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.” It also confirmed the game would remain playable for anyone who keeps it, and they can expect to receive updates as they are released.

Update 2 (12/18): In a tweet, the developers told customers essentially what they said to investors. That “a decision was made temporarily suspend digital distribution” (presumably by Sony), and that anyone who wants a refund from the PlayStation Store should be able to get one. It closed by saying “we are working hard to bring Cyberpunk 2077 back to PlayStation Store as soon as possible.

Sony:

Cyberpunk 2077 Refunds

SIE strives to ensure a high level of customer satisfaction, therefore we will begin to offer a full refund for all gamers who have purchased Cyberpunk 2077 via PlayStation Store. SIE will also be removing Cyberpunk 2077 from PlayStation Store until further notice.

Once we have confirmed that you purchased Cyberpunk 2077 via PlayStation Store, we will begin processing your refund. Please note that completion of the refund may vary based on your payment method and financial institution.

CD Projekt Red (PDF):

Current report no. 66/2020

Subject: Temporary suspension of the availability of Cyberpunk 2077 on PlayStation Store

Legal basis: Art. 17 section 1 of the Market Abuse Regulation inside information

The Management Board of CD PROJEKT S.A. with a registered office in Warsaw (hereinafter referred to as “the Company”) hereby publicly discloses the decision of Sony Interactive Entertainment (hereinafter referred to as “SIE”) to remove Cyberpunk 2077 from PlayStation Store until further notice. The decision 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 from the Company.

The Management Board of the Company has decided to publicly disclose this information in the form of a current report due to its potential influence on investment-related decisions.