Numbers first: Cyberpunk 2077 was set to launch on November 19, 2020 and, on October 27, CD Projekt Red announced another delay, now to December 10, 21 days later. In practice, this meant something beyond the wait: December 10 was precisely the date of The Game Awards 2020 ceremony, and the rules only accepted games released by November 20. Result: the RPG was left out of that year’s awards.
Geoff Keighley, creator and host of the event, confirmed on Twitter what would happen, comparing the case to a 2018 precedent:
“Much like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate a few years ago, Cyberpunk 2077 will be eligible for the first time at next year’s Game Awards.”
Translating the jargon: Smash Ultimate came out on December 7, 2018, too late for that year’s awards, and so it only competed in the following edition. Cyberpunk 2077 would follow the same path. That was the game’s third delay; it had initially been announced for April 16, 2020, then moved to September 17 and then to November 19. The final decision was made suddenly, and the team even received threats after the announcement.
What came next
The Game Awards 2020 took place on 10 December in a virtual format because of the pandemic, and The Last of Us Part II won Game of the Year, with seven awards. The full list of nominees is in our article on The Game Awards 2020 nominees. A curious consequence of the delay: an orchestral performance planned with the music of Cyberpunk 2077 was cancelled. Cyberpunk 2077 reached stores on the same day as the ceremony and, at the following Game Awards, was nominated for Best Score and Music and Best RPG.
Where to buy
Source: Geoff Keighley / The Game Awards.
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