It would be an understatement to say thatCyberpunk 2077disappointed many gamers. Reaction to the game’s unfinished release has prompted many retailers to makeexceptions to their refund policies. However, the rush of returns resulted in some logistical challenges.
According to Vice, someCyberpunk 2077players are getting to keep their copies after receiving a refund. While the refund form indicates they’ll have to return their copies eventually, it’s not clear when eventually will come.
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The causes ofCyberpunk 2077’sdisastrous releaseare too complicated to get into now. Suffice it to say, poor planning combined with big promises resulted in a disappointing product and enormous consumer backlash. Likely hoping to regain some lost goodwill, CD Project offered to refund all copies, even if a player could not return theirs. The only restriction was that all customers had to submit return requests before June 28, 2025. Simple as that sounds, it raised many questions. Namely, what will people do with their disks, and what happens to customers who bought digital copies?
For some, the answers turned out to be that gamers send in their request, keep everything, and CD Projekt sends them money directly. According to Vice, most of the money is sent over PayPal. It also includes refunds for the$250 collector’s edition ofCyberpunk 2077. That edition includes a statue, art book, map of Night City, and more. All of which some gamers are getting to keep. Again, CD Projekt indicated that refund recipients would have to return their physical copies at some point. However, CD Projekt has not yet requested any returns and declined to comment on the matter.
But what about people who purchased digital copies? Well, gamers who purchased through Steam or the Microsoft Storecan receive refunds through those platforms. Meanwhile, Sony created a separate refund page forCyberpunk 2077. Things get more complicated for people who purchased download codes from physical retailers. According to one such consumer, there isn’t even an option for that on CD Projekt’s refund application. He told Vice that he needed to contact CD Projekt directly and eventually got his refund. However, to his surprise, he’s still able to play the game on his Xbox.
Some of the people Vice talked to praised CD Projekt for being so open with returns. However, this situation also seems like an opportunity for scammers to take advantage of the chaos. People seeking refunds are required to submit proof of purchase. Still, the publisher is taking a risk by handing out refunds so freely. However, the alternative could potentially mean leaving many people stuck with a broken game they don’t want and can’t return. And withover 13 million units soldin the first month, it’s a risk CD Projekt can afford.
As it stands, the process is moving slowly. It may take until March for the studio to process all refund requests. Hopefully, for everyone involved, CD Projekt is better at keeping this promise. After all, it probably doesn’t wantanother class-action lawsuiton it hands.
Cyberpunk 2077is available on PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One, with PS5 and Xbox Series X|S versions in development.
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