The megalopolis of Cyberpunk 2077 has already opened its doors on PC and consoles and, although there is much to be polished to be finished, the arrival of its promised multiplayer will give a new dimension to the whole: Night City constantly invites us to live on the edge, and the essence of the role-playing game on which the CD Projekt RED title is based is how you share that experience with other players.
The logical thing to do would be to assume that the Polish studio will follow the Rockstar model. Or, at least, his way of approaching multiplayer parallels seen in GTA Online and Red Dead Online. However, what we know about this seems also to lead us in a new direction. To start with, CD Projekt RED does not consider it a multiplayer mode but a tremendous independent production.
First, we don’t call it mode. It is a separate dedicated production, a great production. And we plan, we think of it as a standalone product.
It’s not entirely standalone as it comes from the Cyberpunk universe and is closely related to the single-player Cyberpunk concept that I came up with. But from our perspective, it is another independent production, and a separate team of people works on it.
For now, the initial plans for what we can call the multiplayer section of Cyberpunk 2077 placed us beyond 2021. Without a closed date or more details.
Can we specify what will be in 2022? Well, that it is being developed by an independent team that worked on the game now available speeds up the process, but the priority of CD Projekt RED is in three apparent points:
- Finish polishing Cyberpunk 2077 and reduce the volume of bugs, errors, and unexpected shutdowns to the minimum that you can ask of an open world. As far as possible, eliminate them.
- Launch the New Generation console versions (PS5 and Xbox Series X). Those who play the PS4 and Xbox One editions will receive free of charge, benefiting from the Smart Delivery treatment in the second case.
- Finally, offer the first batch of new content for the game. It is expected that free news and significant paid expansions will be added, very in tune with what was seen in The Witcher, although – for now – there are no closed or announced dates.
And it is at this point when it comes to answering the million-dollar question: the multiplayer section of Cyberpunk 2077 will include microtransactions. It’s not something that catches us new, of course, since they were initially discussed in 2019 when the release date was still set in April 2020.
He deserves to make two important notes: experience single-player of Cyberpunk 2077 not offer micropayments. On the other hand, the philosophy around Cyberpunk Multiplayer ( Cyberpunk Online ) is that its paid content, according to CD Projekt RED, will not annoy players but make them happy.
Well, we are never aggressive towards our fans! We treat them fairly and are friendly. So, of course not, we won’t be pushy, but you can expect great things to be bought.
The goal is to design monetization in a way that makes people happy when they spend money. I’m not trying to be cynical or hide something; it’s about creating a feeling of value.
Same with our single-player games: we want players to be happy while spending money on our products. The same goes for microtransactions – you can expect them, of course, and Cyberpunk 2077 is an excellent stage to sell stuff, but it won’t be pushy, it won’t annoy gamers, it will make them happy. At least that’s our goal.
What do you mean by non-aggressive microtransactions? Well, aesthetic customization options Cyberpunk 2077’s are huge. But seeing that there is still room for its launch, it is only possible to speculate about it. And, how could it be otherwise? At VidaExtra, we get wet.
Nine things I hope to find in the Night City online
and past 2021; a Between now lot about Cyberpunk 2077 may change. Presumably, for the better. However, there are nine things I think this tremendous independent experience built around the city of Night City should offer.
A character progression system that invites me to take the step online
Cyberpunk 2077 is an RPG, which implies that our protagonist’s degree of customization and improvements has a relevant weight in the game experience. However, unlike other RPGs, the protagonist of the game has a name and a voice. For this reason, I doubt that Night City Online is filled with infinite versions of V.
That said, starting with a new character from scratch and putting it in an open world to which I have dedicated tens or hundreds of hours is difficult for me, and I am sure that I am not the only one. The solution? Trying to transfer – at least, in part – critical aspects of my game without causing an imbalance between the players.
The key in this aspect is to offer a progression system that has us constantly playing and that, at the same time, welcomes those who have waited for the online to be available to set foot in Night City.
One area for newbies and one for those who want to see the world burn
Continuing with the above, one of the aspects that I like the most about The City, the social section of NBA 2K21, is its way of introducing new players. Before opening the doors to the vast open environment, you must spend a series of games in the rookie zone and, once you have minimal skills, you can start playing with the rest of the world.
What’s excellent about Cyberpunk 2077 is the Night City layout itself, so you can always reserve a district or suburban area as an academy for new players. And, as a rule of thumb, also set aside a corner of Pacifica -for example- for those who seek to unleash chaos and destruction.
A social platform similar to Rockstar’s Social Club
Suppose there is something that CD Projekt RED must implement in Cyberpunk 2077, yes or yes, looking at the model. In that case, Rockstar Games is its Social Club, a platform beyond the game to generate a community, share screenshots and comments, recruit players, access activities.
And, of course, be informed of the news and future content created by the developers and the community itself from any browser; it’s an app or accessed through the game itself.
Micropayments without abuse and with items that are not only aesthetic
Again we take GTA V as a model for understanding the possibilities of its paid content, and it is not for less. However, there is a nuance: the clothes in Night City have qualities very similar to those of World of Warcraft and other MMORPGs, which translate to armor and weight and other aspects. They are not simply aesthetic.
We understand that a system will seek a balance of what is for sale and reward dedication. All in all, it will be interesting to see what kind of modes will be offered online:
- If they are cooperative, it should not be promoted that all team members have had to go through a purchase, even a minor one, to play together and on equal terms.
- If they are competitive, no more help or advantages should be given to those who invest the most money in the game, which does not mean that experience enhancers can be offered.
- Regarding the model loot box, given what has been generated in recent years and European regulations, the last thing CD Projekt RED is interested in is comparing Cyberpunk 2077 with Star Wars Battlefront II.
That does not mean that there are items that are worth investing a fair amount. We refer to particular properties, vehicles, or services that improve our quality of life in Night City. Above all, if the door is opened, they can be acquired with currency generated by playing.
Battle Pass or Season? I’m in
The fourth option in the face of micropayments is the model popularized by Fortnite of passes or seasonal battle. That is to say: make a single payment and have access to enhancers and exclusive content for a set time that we can unlock as we usually play.
An aspect that would be reinforced with temporary or thematic events inspired by festivities such as Christmas, Halloween, or Valentine’s Day, as well as dates that expand the lore of the Cyberpunk world.
I am not opposed to having shooter aspects, but being an RPG
Cyberpunk 2077 is an RPG played first, but it also borrows elements from many games and takes them to role-playing sensations. I mean, the gunplay when aiming is refined, of course. Very similar to FPS. But we will have to consider our skill, the damage of our weapon, and the armor of the one we are aiming for.
That said, the multiplayer gaming experience in Cyberpunk 2077 shouldn’t be the same as that of Shooters and other online shooter games. It is not a matter of agreeing to strike and grab the loot. The feeling of freedom, the importance of decisions, and creativity must be conveyed single player and the joint narrative work of the original role-playing game.
That said, the more varied the game alternative, the better. And if you integrate an experience Battle Royale or a crazy racing system through the streets of Night City, it will be fantastic. But I was always trying the whole to the very essence of Cyberpunk 2077.
An asymmetric mode? For my fantastic
An exciting way to approach a multiplayer experience faithful to the role-playing game and dice is to create role-playing an asymmetric mode in which several players star in a fun, and a game referee directs it, accommodating what happens as if it were a campaign.
Not that there are no examples. Without going any further, we have the multiplayer Resident Evil 3 Remake. However, the rich legacy of Mike Pondsmith’s work is too juicy not to take advantage of and, in the process, allow us to play our RPGs in CD Projekt RED’s Night City.
Cross-play between all systems
We agree that Cyberpunk 2077 does not look the same on PS4 as on a PC with cutting-edge components. However, all game versions share the same content. And that is more than enough to enable what is increasingly trending and should be the rule: cross-play.
While we can hope that there will be no problems with Xbox systems thanks to the Smart Delivery System, CD Projekt RED has a golden opportunity to offer everyone the possibility of sharing adventures and dirty jobs in the same open world. We have bought it on Steam, GOG, Epic, or on current or new generation consoles without distinctions in case.
Please, no bugs: let there be a Public Test Region
The launch of Cyberpunk 2077 was ahead of time; that is clear: the game arrived unpolished, and its bugs filled the network of networks. And if in the experience single-player, it is already a lousy reception, leaving with half-finished finishes is almost inadmissible in the online multiplayer.
We expect pre-launch testing to be done. Even participation in alphas and betas will be promoted before setting a date for the arrival of Cyberpunk Online, especially now that they are under the sights of approximately 13 million users.
This is not to say that you can’t open the door to alternative experiences and test them out with your players. As with Blizzard games, you can enable a Public Test Region where you can polish your upcoming content and experiment, even after launch. from Cyberpunk Online.
The objective of multiplayer is and must be that in Night City, we live to the limit as players and together with other players. And if you have to test the news, let it be in a region enabled for it, not the final version.
Sharlene Meriel is an avid gamer with a knack for technology. He has been writing about the latest technologies for the past 5 years. His contribution in technology journalism has been noteworthy. He is also a day trader with interest in the Forex market.
