It's worth taking the following with a pinch of salt, but it looks like Cyberpunk 2077's next-gen update could be coming in the next major title update - Patch 1.5.
We already know that CDPR has confirmed that the next-gen update's release is being scheduled for Q1 2022 - supposedly - but this is a little vague. Recent leaks regarding the new content coming in Patch 1.5 seem to corroborate this, somewhat. Here's what we know...
New Leaks - Is the next-gen update coming with Patch 1.5?
Earlier this week, a Reddit thread leaked what was allegedly coming to Cyberpunk 2077 in Patch 1.5 - a lot of it seemed a little speculative but some of it was more believable.
In the leak, it was suggested that...
- Patch 1.5 will be a soft re-launch for the title and release alongside the next-gen update;
- Patch 1.5 will also change Cyberpunk 2077's name to Cyberpunk 2077: Samurai Edition;
- Barbershops, a Garage, improved AI behaviours, a transmog system, a rebalanced loot system, and a new UI system are all due to be shipped with the next title update;
- Free DLC updates will be announced and released after;
- These will include new weapons, New Game Plus, new in-game activities, and Apartment Customisation options;
- Character interactions with prominent secondary characters, like Judy and Panam, will be more frequent;
There was also talk of a major expansion involving the Pacifica Region and a "Combat Zone", but we're not sure we believe that. CDPR's Global PR Director commented on the leaks, stating that they don't add up.
This doesn't rule out everything said, so we could still see the next-gen update release alongside Patch 1.5 and some of the content discussed above.
Cyberpunk 2077 Next Gen Update coming next year
Despite promises of a 2021 release date, the next-gen update for Cyberpunk 2077 has been held back to Q1 2022. As well as this, we now know The Witcher 3 next-gen update is coming some point after in Q2. With promises like ray tracing and improved mechanics, a lot of people have been waiting for this one.
We're expecting to see more information on this over the next few months.
Why has it been delayed?
Promises were made in regards to the next-gen update early into the life cycle of Cyberpunk 2077 and were originally made before the game's release. It seems likely that this is a case of miscommunication - teams not realising the amount of work required to get it all out there.
The last year or so has seen the team in damage control, fixing major issues and polishing up the game. That being said, it hasn't been a stable climb. The game got taken off the PlayStation store and it's still barely playable on a base PS4.
It seems likely that the team would prefer to delay the update then put out a half-finished patch and rile people up once more.
Cyberpunk 2077 next-gen update release date
It has been delayed to Q1 but that could be anywhere in a broad range. Q1 2022 encompasses January, February and March so it could show up at any point in those three months. We will update you as soon as we receive a more concrete date.