Cyberpunk 2077 Proves It's Still Alive With Massive Weekend Comeback
Three years after Phantom Liberty, Night City hasn’t seen crowds like this in ages. This weekend, the virtual streets of Cyberpunk 2077 pulsed with nearly 190,000 players logged in at the same time on Steam.
Back in October 2023, the launch of Phantom Liberty sent CD Projekt Red’s RPG soaring to 274,526 concurrent players. Things had quieted down since then. But it took the explosive combo of Edgerunners season 2, the 2.5 update, and a 70% off promo to reignite the spark. Paweł Sasko, now associate director on Cyberpunk 2, couldn’t hide his excitement at the unwavering passion for cyberpunk.
Image credit: CR Projekt Red
A historic weekend for Night City
The numbers speak for themselves: 187,215 players online at once on Steam, a peak Cyberpunk 2077 hadn’t reached in three years. The last time the game saw this level was back in October 2023, when Phantom Liberty launched and hit 274,526 players. This new spike proves the game still has plenty of life left—a trajectory that echoes CDPR’s long-term support strategy for its other franchises.
On X, Paweł Sasko quickly chimed in. “It’s been a wild weekend,” he wrote. “A peak of 187k concurrent players on Steam alone, tons of hilarious threads and clips… it all fills my heart with joy.” CD Projekt Red’s official account also celebrated, reminding everyone this is the best result since Phantom Liberty.
The City of Dreams is on fire once again ! 🔥 Yesterday, Cyberpunk 2077 peaked at 187k concurrent players on Steam, marking our highest count since the launch of Phantom Liberty. We are excited to see so many players back in Night City ! 🦾 pic.twitter.com/C1aLwPOECC
— (@CDPROJEKTRED_IR) date
Edgerunners 2 and update 2.5: the winning combo
Several factors collided to create this tidal wave. Season 2 of Edgerunners, which dropped last week on Netflix, threw millions of viewers back into Night City. It’s not the first time: in 2022, the anime’s first season sparked a massive player influx for the RPG. Four years later, the formula still works.
Update 2.5 is more than just bug fixes. The patch introduces a new quest that acts as a prequel to Edgerunners season 2, plus adult mod support on consoles. The most curious players even uncovered hidden easter eggs in update 2.5, proof that CDPR is still sweating the details. Add a 70% discount on Steam and you’ve got an irresistible mix. The key ingredients behind this comeback:
- The release of Edgerunners season 2 on Netflix
- Update 2.5 with its prequel quest and mod support on consoles
- A 70% off Steam sale, making the game accessible to a huge audience
CDPR asks players for feedback to improve the game
Beyond the numbers, it’s the studio’s attitude that stands out. Paweł Sasko reached out directly to the community: “Chooms, give us your feedback, tell us what we can improve, where we missed the mark with 2.5. Your perspective is all that matters.” This openness stands in stark contrast to the closed-off image of most big studios, and fits right in with CDPR’s post-launch content philosophy.
This closeness with fans goes beyond social media. CD Projekt Red has hired a wave of former modders. According to the co-lead of Cyberpunk 2, “about half the quest team is made up of ex-modders.” It’s a strategy that brings in people who know the game inside out, and it helps explain the quality of recent additions. Player feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, though plenty are still clamoring for new expansions. Some things never change—this community always wants more.
With Cyberpunk 2 on the horizon and CDPR juggling its next ambitious projects, this renewed interest in the first game proves Night City isn’t done haunting our dreams. The real question: can the studio turn this momentum into a springboard for the saga’s future?
