CD Projekt Red has rolled out the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S editions of Cyberpunk 2077 a little over a year after the game’s chaotic initial launch. These versions of the game include numerous quality-of-life improvements, better artificial intelligence, and numerous bugfixes.
They also include a major marketing push from CD Projekt Red–a free trial of the single-player game for newer consoles. The trial will allow players to push through five hours of Cyberpunk 2077 content. If players want to purchase the game after their time with the trial, their save progress will carry over.
The trial will be available for the next thirty days.
You might recall that the initial versions of the game forced Sony to yank the PlayStation 4 version off of its online store for a few months (though you could still grab a physical copy of the game). This free trial seems to reflect the public bruising CD Projekt (the parent company of CD Projekt Red) took for the rough release.
Why is the trial only available for next-gen versions of the game? “The free next-gen trial is only available for next-gen consoles in order to let console players see for themselves how Cyberpunk 2077 has been updated for those platforms before they commit to buying anything,” CD Projekt Red explained on its website.
It’s a solid move on CD Projekt’s part, especially with the knowledge that demos like this one can cut into game sales. But considering how CD Projekt’s financials have been boosted by sales of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt years after that game’s initial release, it’s in their best interests to position Cyberpunk 2077 as a similar product.
Who knows, maybe a TV adaptation of Mike Pondsmith’s tabletop RPG will buoy this game’s lifespan as well.