Cyberpunk 2077 players are getting refunds, and some don't have to send the game back
It's not clear why or how many people still have access after getting their money back.
People who bought the console versions of CD Projekt's Cyberpunk 2077 are seemingly being allowed to keep the game even after they've been refunded.
That's according to Vice, which reports that consumers who requested a refund for the disastrous console versions of the eagerly-anticipated but somewhat-broken RPG have been given their money back – largely via PayPal – but still, have access to the eagerly-anticipated but somewhat-broken RPG. The deadline for requesting a refund was December 21, 2020.
CD Projekt seems to also be refunding digital copies of Cyberpunk 2077 bought via digital download codes at retail. Some customers have been told that they would have to send the game back at some point as part of the refund process, but as of yet, it seems that none of them have been asked to do so.
"I was surprised I didn’t need to [send it back]," one customer said. "So I still have everything. As a customer, I feel they 'made good' on it. Just show proof and we’ll return your money."
CD Projekt is also allowing people to exchange their console version of the game for a PC edition.
Why the company is allowing customers to keep the game even after they've been given their money back isn't clear. It's possible that CD Projekt didn't want to add the cost of shipping potentially millions of game units to the money it is already losing through refunds. This could also be a charm offensive, with the hopes of folks who still have Cyberpunk 2077 for free might talk about how much it has improved when CD Projekt eventually fixes its problems and create a bit of positive buzz. Who knows.
Cyberpunk 2077 was released on December 10 and launched with myriad bugs and issues, especially on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Both Sony and Microsoft are offering refunds for digitally-purchased copies of the game, with the former also pulling Cyberpunk 2077 from sale on the PlayStation Store.
Within days of release, CD Projekt was encouraging fans to refund the PS4 and Xbox One versions of the game if they weren't happy with it. Ten days after launch, the company said that Cyberpunk 2077 had sold more than 13 million copies.