Cyberpunk 2077’s buggy and controversial launch continues to haunt CD PROJEKT RED, according to a new motion filed this week that will see the Polish developer paying $1.85 million to settle the class-action lawsuit filed against it in 2020 by upset investors who claimed the sci-fi RPG’s launch state was deliberately hidden from them and caused them to lose money.
“Pursuant to the settlement, defendants will pay a non-reversionary gross settlement amount of $1,850,000, which will be used to pay eligible class members, settlement administration costs, taxes, attorney’s fees and costs, and incentive awards for Gordley, Shaginyan, and Trefethen,” reads a portion of the 24-page document spotted by Gamespot, filed on January 3, 2023.
Eligible class members are defined as any investor who purchased CD PROJEKT RED stock between the dates of January 16–December 17, 2020.
The class action suit had alleged that “(1) Cyberpunk 2077 was virtually unplayable on the current-generation Xbox or Playstation systems due to an enormous number of bugs; (2) as a result, Sony would remove Cyberpunk 2077 from the Playstation store, and Sony, Microsoft and CD Projekt would be forced to offer full refunds for the game; (3) consequently, CD Projekt would suffer reputational and pecuniary harm; and (4) as a result, defendants’ statements about its business, operations, and prospects, were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.”
Cyberpunk 2077 is said to be in a much better state now, following numerous patches and updates from CD PROJEKT RED, including a next-gen update that introduced further bug fixes and additional DLC to the game, which originally launched on December 10, 2022.
Phantom Liberty, Cyberpunk 2077’s first and reportedly only expansion, is due this year for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X.
Idris Elba will star as a new character in the DLC, according to a trailer that premiered during The Game Awards 2022.
Discussion (11 replies)
Join Discussion →So as always, the lawyers get the big bucks while the plaintiffs get pennies.
I certainly don't care. Lawyers are doing all the work afterall.
I don't suppose class members were receptive to payment offers in the form of GOG codes for Cyberpunk 2077 (with season pass/DLC).
Very cheap for them. They sold over 20 million copies of the game. They can pay this settlement from 50.000 copies, easy.
Lawyers take no risks, they always get paid whether they loose or win. I wish I could be paid that well for failing at my job.
But I guess it is slightly more honest work than being a scalper,or cryptobro, so there is that.
99% of the time on big cases like this they don't have any payout on a loss. Nada.
Because cases like this are taken by law-firms who speculate on the wins outweighing the losses, they select their cases very wisely. The lawyers still get paid by the firm.
AFAIK lawyers rarely go for the win. They go for the settlement instead. That way they still get the big bucks and save a lot of time. Most of the time, plaintiffs don't even get an apology, since as part of the settlement the defendant won't recognize any wrong doing. The best part? the defendant can't be sued again for the same thing.
Yea there is some shady stuff I bet that happens around that. But that can be said about every industry sadly. It's funny but those of us that operate day in day out in the light find less overall benefit to our monetary situations yet those that take advantage of the system generally are doing better off.
One would think the scales should tip the other way.
They go for the settlement because it is a done deal. Going to trial is a risk even if the case is solid. Same for the companies getting sued, if they go to trial and loose in a civil suit, it is possible they get a criminal investigation based on that too.
The whole system is rotten, companies get away with literal murder, and lawyers get rich on both sides from the blood money.
I think they look for the settlement, simply because its too easy. Big companies don't really want to waste time, money and bad publicity, so they settle, its the perfect way to get rid of it.