Cyberpunk 2077 may require a day-one patch that adds in missing voice work

[Shawn Knight]

In a nutshell: "Day-one" patches are a bit of a double-edged sword. While they give developers the flexibility to add new features and fix bugs after shipping a gold master, they’re also incredibly inconvenient for consumers and can sometimes be used as a crutch.

It’s been nearly a month since Cyberpunk 2077 developer CD Projekt Red implemented a full-on remote work policy in response to the ongoing Coronavirus outbreak.

The dev vowed that its September launch date wasn’t in jeopardy and while that appears to still be the case, it likely isn’t going to happen without some concessions.

Michal Nowakowski, SVP of business development at CD Projekt Red, said during the company’s recent earnings conference call that they have experienced some difficulties with the localization process, “specifically with recording some of the actors.” This is because most recording studios are closed right now due to Covid-19.

There is a possibility that some last-minute pick-up sessions might not make the cut before the game is finalized. That wouldn’t be a huge issue, however, as Nowakowski said they could simply record those sessions later and add them in through a digital patch. “By the moment the customers will actually buy the game in September they would just download a file which would add the missing pieces of recordings,” he said.

Where do you stand on the issue? Would you rather a developer spend a bit more time ironing out all the kinks before shipping a game or are you alright with having to download and install a day-one patch in order to get a game a little earlier than you might otherwise? Let us know in the comments section below.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/84787-cyberpunk-2077-may-require-day-one-patch-adds.html

 

[Shaitan]

As long as the quality of the game is on par with Witcher 3, I really am Ok with it. CDPR is the last man standing when it comes to delivering non-DRM infested, MTX-free games.This is why I'm considering buying the collector's edition, just so that Activision, Ubisoft, EA Games and so on understand that the gamers are a force to be reckoned with. Do you remember Star Wars Battlefront II? EA will remember, for sure.
I will never touch a game that has MTX in it unless that game is free-to-play. Eventually, they'll come in a Humble Bundle and maybe then (Battlefield V? Well, not on my list, since the studio choose to mock the fans and came up with the politically correct crap).
So Diablo IV is out of the question. Warcraft III: refunded. Blizzard can go die in a fire for all I care, and Call of Duty campaign isn't worth the 60 Euros.
The only game I look forward to this year is Cyberpunk, and I'll get the Star Wars Fallen Order (as it's single-player) once it hits the 20 Euro mark.
As for Ubisoft: Far Cry 5 - fool me once with MTX, shame on me. Never again. No Assassin's Creed, no Splinter Cell, no Rainbow Six ever again, until the plague of MTX disappears.
The ONLY language the corporations understand is the language of money. The ONLY sound they listen to is the sound of a wallet (opening).
So yeah, I'll buy CyberPunk and I'll give the benefit of the doubt to CDPR.

 

[QuantumPhysics]

A Day One patch that will likely be over 50GB large and require a Day 2 patch as well...

 

[Evernessince]

A Day One patch that will likely be over 50GB large and require a Day 2 patch as well...

Still not as bad as the division 2, which had 89 GB worth of patches in the first week.

 

[amoeba00]

Ugh - this story just made me realize that this was the originally scheduled release month. Would have been a silver lining in the COVID-19 cloud to be stuck indoors playing this game.

I think if it were any other company or any other game - folks wouldn't bat an eye (or just roll them back) - and move on. CDPR has been good about managing expectations and it's the only company from which I will pre-order a game and gladly pay full price - so yeah - it's a no-brainer to give them the benefit of the doubt.

 

[texasrattler]

It is never ok for any game to release any day one updates for anything. Once you let anyone do it, which has alrdy happened, it wont stop. Also with every update/patch comes issues that the dev sure as hell didnt test n will see if ppl complain or not. All do this crap. So again, no it is never ok. Do the job, if the job isnt good enough then delay should be the only option. Virus or no virus, product should come out when expected or delay if its simply not ready.

 

[Evernessince]

It is never ok for any game to release any day one updates for anything. Once you let anyone do it, which has alrdy happened, it wont stop. Also with every update/patch comes issues that the dev sure as hell didnt test n will see if ppl complain or not. All do this crap. So again, no it is never ok. Do the job, if the job isnt good enough then delay should be the only option. Virus or no virus, product should come out when expected or delay if its simply not ready.

I think a world wide pandemic is a decent exception. You say do the job but they literally can't as the recording studios are closed. Other examples of other games don't compare as they were not released under threat from the same circumstances.

 

[texasrattler]

Hence why I said delay. Also they could have done things earlier before. Companies love using excuses to get out of or get away with things. To put it simply the game isnt rdy so dont release it. Its not rocket science. Watch them release it, patch it and ppl start saying something is wrong or broken and then watch ppl say they should have delayed it.

 

[emmzo]

I`ll take the delay. Why none of these companies say "do you want to play the beta?". Instead is " buy our great game and during the following year we will make sure that we finish it".

 

[yRaz]

Why are they planning a day one patch for a game being released 5 months from now? If they can have a patch ready in day one, why can't they just fix the problem for release?

It's not like they found a huge flaw 2 weeks before release and they already shipped millions of hardcopies.

 

[deemon]

If the game isn't even out yet, can we even call it a "patch"? I kind of expect the first day download be already patched.... not that I download the game and then on top of that I download the "patch"? Who does that?

 

[Theinsanegamer]

Honestly, in this internet connected age where games are constantly updated, its not a huge problem, you have to download the game anyway, so if you buy it 15 minutes after it comes out you wont notice the day 1 patch anyway.

Only those who preorder will notice, and to those people: STOP PREORDERING GAMES. How many times do you need to get burned by this stuff before you learn your lesson? Wait a week for reviews and performance analysis to make sure the game isnt garbage, if its from a big publisher, especially activision, give it 2 months to make sure they dont obliterate the game with pay-2-win mechanics.

 

[DirtyRat]

Why are they planning a day one patch for a game being released 5 months from now? If they can have a patch ready in day one, why can't they just fix the problem for release?

It's not like they found a huge flaw 2 weeks before release and they already shipped millions of hardcopies.

Like the article says, all voice acting studios are currently closed. They are only warning there might be a patch because nobody can predict when they will open again, there is every chance that the studios will be open in time and there will be no need for a patch.

You also have to remember that the game has to go gold way before the actual release date because of the consoles, they need plenty of time to get the discs copies made.

 

[yRaz]

Like the article says, all voice acting studios are currently closed. They are only warning there might be a patch because nobody can predict when they will open again, there is every chance that the studios will be open in time and there will be no need for a patch.

You also have to remember that the game has to go gold way before the actual release date because of the consoles, they need plenty of time to get the discs copies made.

And for digital downloads? Most games, especially on the PC, are digital downloads these days. Why can't we just download the patched version?

 

[amoeba00]

Honestly, in this internet connected age where games are constantly updated, its not a huge problem, you have to download the game anyway, so if you buy it 15 minutes after it comes out you wont notice the day 1 patch anyway.

Only those who preorder will notice, and to those people: STOP PREORDERING GAMES. How many times do you need to get burned by this stuff before you learn your lesson? Wait a week for reviews and performance analysis to make sure the game isnt garbage, if its from a big publisher, especially activision, give it 2 months to make sure they dont obliterate the game with pay-2-win mechanics.

Yeah - with everything being downloaded anyway - the whole day 1 patch really isn't that big of a deal except for those with a less than robust Internet connection.

Pre-ordering is a bit like supporting a very expensive Kickstarter project with none of the emotions that folks feel when tossing their coin to those making the game. However, so far CDPR has a pretty decent track record ... and then there's always buying it on GOG which ensures 100% goes to them since they are their own middleman.

 

[oizoduck]

Game release due 2077, chillout.

 

[Yerbmeister]

Cyberpunk was already supposed to be out. Why delay the game for a fourth time I would rather be able to get the game and play it. Roach was on top of a house after after you beat up three guys at the first inn. And it wasn’t fixed until my third play through of the game. And I’m in my fifth play through and I still find bugs. Bugs and glitches are expected in a game like this. I think glitches in a single player game are funny and I like to see if they get fixed. Yes I want to play the game and If update patches are needed then do it. Games do it all the time. New season got to wait two hours to play that game. So what no more delays I want to hold it the game Glitches in a multiplayer game I hate. That’s when you get kicked from a server when you have no deaths and 10 kills and then you get kicked from that server.

 

[JaredTheDragon]

Like the article says, all voice acting studios are currently closed.

Except they aren't closed at all. Nobody is closed. Only crybabies, fearists, and fearmongers are closed right now. Nobody with a legitimate business is closed, anywhere, because free people just keep doing business.

The entire construction industry is fine. Several of my contractors thought they would DECIDE to close, and I laughed at them and told them when/if they reopen, the price is double. Guess how many stayed fake-closed during the fake quarantine?

There's absolutely no reason these people couldn't record from home. You don't need a studio to record in 2020 or even 2010, you just need a microphone and a little bit of denoiser or a muffler.

 

[Soulburn74]

If it comes working without issue. I have no issue at all with day one patch. I could say I have issue with trying to create a story about a non story, is having a day one patch really news worthy? Getting the game out as promised would be more news worthy........me posting this comment goes against my own hate for this near click bait article.........