Cyberpunk is one of the most well-known video game IPs in the world. After the release of the game in 2020, when all of us were quarantined, it's been a mainstay ever since. Or has it? The truth is that the game's launch received mixed reviews. The game ran at around 25 frames per second on PlayStation 4, even with low graphics settings, and was extremely buggy on the day-one patch. Everyone knew Cyberpunk was an underwhelming, missed opportunity from the Witcher 3 developers, CD Projekt Red. However, nowadays, it is a beloved IP and series that is receiving collaborations and renewing its anime for a second season. The anime has a couple of trailers, and the hype for it is never-ending, with speculation and theories coming from every direction. How did CDPR manage to turn this IP that launched with mixed reviews into a beloved RPG?
The first thing we need to understand about Cyberpunk 2077 is that, although the launch was rough, the game, beneath all the bugs and poor optimizations, is a phenomenal open-world shooter with intriguing characters and a fantastic atmosphere. The issue is that in the gaming industry, a bad launch usually spells the end for your game, especially if it was as catastrophic as Cyberpunk 2077’s first day. However, the one thing that brought this game back into the public eye was the 2022 anime Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, a standalone anime series by Studio Trigger, which premiered on Netflix. In just 10 episodes, the anime did what patches couldn’t: it reignited love for the IP. Focused on the doomed yet unforgettable story of David and Lucy, Edgerunners delivered heartbreak, style, and raw humanity. Its success not only earned it awards and global recognition but also brought millions of players back to Cyberpunk 2077, spiking its player base and giving the game a second wind.
The Anime provided CDPR with the momentum to push Cyberpunk through the stratosphere, and in 2023, the year following the anime's release, the Phantom Liberty DLC was released to outstanding reviews. Everyone was back on the Cyberpunk Hype train, and it was regarded in a new light as a gem in the open-world RPG genre.
The following year, at the world's biggest fighting game tournament, Evo Las Vegas, we saw many new announcements, including Vikala for Granblue Fantasy Versus, Terry Bogard, the King of Fighters representative, who secured the first-ever Street Fighter guest Character spot in Street Fighter 6, and Heihachi Mishima's revival in Tekken 8. But by far the most astonishing announcement was Lucy from Edgrunners in Guilty Gear: Strive. Taking the first guest character spot in Guilty Gear ever. The announcement helped propel the fighting games' popularity, and it was a good move since both communities have an overlap. However, this sparked a renewed conversation about Edgrunners. Why would they select Lucy for Guilty Gear instead of the main character of the show, David Martinez? A lot of discussion followed this announcement.
Fast forward to now, when we are near Lucy’s release in the game, and it looks like the Cyberpunk Hype is ramping back up, because not only was there a panel at AX answering questions about her inclusion in the fighting game, but the day after they announced Cyberpunk Edgerunners Season 2 is in production, and not only that, they even showed us a teaser trailer for season 2! The animators have confirmed that it will be a new crew with the new season, possibly continuing the events of the last story with a few returning characters, but mainly featuring a new set of characters and a new story. All the characters featured in the teaser trailer include a prominent, strong figure, a thin woman, and a child holding a camcorder. Hopefully, at Evo 2025 in Las Vegas, we can see some more announcements for the Cyberpunk IP.
Few IPs get the chance to rise from the ashes in the way Cyberpunk has. Through sharp creative pivots, cross-medium storytelling, and embracing fan love for characters like Lucy, the franchise has successfully evolved from a buggy cautionary tale into a thriving universe with momentum in anime, gaming, and beyond. With the new anime, Night City is alive again, and this time, it will live up to the dream.
The first thing we need to understand about Cyberpunk 2077 is that, although the launch was rough, the game, beneath all the bugs and poor optimizations, is a phenomenal open-world shooter with intriguing characters and a fantastic atmosphere. The issue is that in the gaming industry, a bad launch usually spells the end for your game, especially if it was as catastrophic as Cyberpunk 2077’s first day. However, the one thing that brought this game back into the public eye was the 2022 anime Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, a standalone anime series by Studio Trigger, which premiered on Netflix. In just 10 episodes, the anime did what patches couldn’t: it reignited love for the IP. Focused on the doomed yet unforgettable story of David and Lucy, Edgerunners delivered heartbreak, style, and raw humanity. Its success not only earned it awards and global recognition but also brought millions of players back to Cyberpunk 2077, spiking its player base and giving the game a second wind.
The Anime provided CDPR with the momentum to push Cyberpunk through the stratosphere, and in 2023, the year following the anime's release, the Phantom Liberty DLC was released to outstanding reviews. Everyone was back on the Cyberpunk Hype train, and it was regarded in a new light as a gem in the open-world RPG genre.
The following year, at the world's biggest fighting game tournament, Evo Las Vegas, we saw many new announcements, including Vikala for Granblue Fantasy Versus, Terry Bogard, the King of Fighters representative, who secured the first-ever Street Fighter guest Character spot in Street Fighter 6, and Heihachi Mishima's revival in Tekken 8. But by far the most astonishing announcement was Lucy from Edgrunners in Guilty Gear: Strive. Taking the first guest character spot in Guilty Gear ever. The announcement helped propel the fighting games' popularity, and it was a good move since both communities have an overlap. However, this sparked a renewed conversation about Edgrunners. Why would they select Lucy for Guilty Gear instead of the main character of the show, David Martinez? A lot of discussion followed this announcement.
Fast forward to now, when we are near Lucy’s release in the game, and it looks like the Cyberpunk Hype is ramping back up, because not only was there a panel at AX answering questions about her inclusion in the fighting game, but the day after they announced Cyberpunk Edgerunners Season 2 is in production, and not only that, they even showed us a teaser trailer for season 2! The animators have confirmed that it will be a new crew with the new season, possibly continuing the events of the last story with a few returning characters, but mainly featuring a new set of characters and a new story. All the characters featured in the teaser trailer include a prominent, strong figure, a thin woman, and a child holding a camcorder. Hopefully, at Evo 2025 in Las Vegas, we can see some more announcements for the Cyberpunk IP.
Few IPs get the chance to rise from the ashes in the way Cyberpunk has. Through sharp creative pivots, cross-medium storytelling, and embracing fan love for characters like Lucy, the franchise has successfully evolved from a buggy cautionary tale into a thriving universe with momentum in anime, gaming, and beyond. With the new anime, Night City is alive again, and this time, it will live up to the dream.
by Tomas Sierra