Shortly after the game's launch, Cyberpunk 2077 was pulled from the PlayStation Store back on December 17, 2020. The reason for the pull was that the quality of the open-world RPG was incredibly low compared to the PC version of the game. On last-gen consoles, namely the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, Cyberpunk 2077 was near unplayable for many. This caused Sony to quickly act, swiftly removing Cyberpunk 2077 from the PS Store and immediately offering refunds. Team Blue told CD Projekt Red that the game could return only when enough progress has been made to ensure the quality of the game was close to what was promised. It looks like all of those updates have finally paid off, because the CDPR staple has returned, though there are some weird stipulations surrounding its listing. 

If you search for Cyberpunk 2077, as spotted by IGN, you can find the sci-fi RPG in the PS Store. Though it has the tag "Just Announced" attached to it, is the game that released late last year. If you already own a digital copy of the game, you can simply redownload it. If you were among those that chose to wait until a few updates went through, you can simply add it to your wishlist .

Since the removal, the Polish studio has poured countless updates into the game. Checking it this morning on PC, even I saw a massive improvement to glitches, graphics, response times, and character interaction. Numerous patches have gone through, each with the purpose in mind of getting the game up to standards so that all can enjoy the latest tale CDPR is trying to tell. Where the game goes from here is up in the air, but multiplayer plans have been postponed at this time. 

Sony removed the game from its store when the number of reports came pouring in about how badly Cyberpunk 2077 played on PS4 systems. Game-breaking bugs around every corner, streets conspicuously devoid of NPCs, and a plethora of other problems that made the final picture not line up with what was marketed all pooled together to justify the removal from the PlayStation Store. Sony said that the game can only return when it has met certain consumer standards. This point was driven home, even more, when numerous investigations launched in polish regarding the studio. 

It has been an incredibly long and hard journey for this team, even before the launch of Cyberpunk 2077. Studio leadership has admitted to crunch in the past following the development of The Witcher 3. When that became public, there was the pledge to do better. When it was clear that the promise of a more stable working environment was left in the dust, leadership instead chose to bury the sloppier parts of the studio culture and the result? One of the worst launches in gaming history. The developers themselves have even questioned those in charge, including investors, as to what is going to be done to ensure this doesn't happen again. With the future of Cyberpunk 2077 in question and The Witcher as an ultimate goal for the team to return to, there is a lot about the CPDR culture that needs to be addressed, both internally and regarding their tarnished reputation with the public. 

Netflix is not messing around when it comes to its anime and gaming initiatives. With adaptations like Dota, Resident Evil, Castlevania, and more, it's clear that the streaming service is all-in on "geek culture," as it markets this branch, and that includes even more The Witcher on the horizon. With the live-action The Witcher season 2 coming soon and the prequel well underway, there is yet another Polish-inspired adaptation in the works and that's with Netflix's The Witcher anime called Nightmare of the Wolf. 

This morning, on June 15, Netflix shared more details about its upcoming anime plans with a spotlight focused on The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf. 

It can be said that many Witcher fans were made that way thanks to CD Projekt Red's gaming adaptations, the novels that inspired that series, written by Andrzej Sapkowski, offer a much bigger world beyond the games. The live-action series takes place within the book settings as a sort of prequel, but Nightmare of the Wolf aims to take a different approach, this time focuses on a different witcher beyond Geralt of Rivia. 

Vesemir takes center stage with the upcoming anime, an older veteran to the witcher order and somewhat of a father figure to Geralt of Rivia. According to Netflix, the official description states: “Long before mentoring Geralt, Vesemir begins his own journey as a witcher after the mysterious Deglan claims him through the Law of Surprise.” 

Lauren S. Hissrich, the current showrunner of the live-action The Witcher series, is leading the charge as showrunner and co-executive producer on the anime series. She is joined by Kwang Han (The Boondocks, The Last Airbender) as the anime's director. Writing the new series is Beau DeMayo, rounding out the creative team. 

“There are things I wanted to know about, what it takes to become a witcher, how Geralt became a witcher, where his journey started and who was important to him,” Hissrich stated about the focus on the upcoming series, as revealed by Variety. 

“It’s gonna give fans that are familiar with the series a totally unique experience that I hope makes them feel like they’re coming to ‘The Witcher’ for the first time again,” said DeMayo when he was asked what his ambitions are for the anime. “I’m also just excited for the fans to see the action. It’s pretty awesome.”

We don't have an official release date at this time for the Netflix The Witcher anime, but it is slated to arrive sometime next year. Toss a coin? 

For those curious about how the Halo Infinite Battle Pass works, here is a simple breakdown of what's ahead. What immediately sticks out, and is worth noting, is that unlike other Battle Passes on the market, Infinite's never expires. With details now available, there is a hope that 343's take on the Battle Pass system will set a new standard for the industry going forward. 

Battle Passes are all the craze; a mechanic used to provide an additional incentive to keep players involved and invested within live-service games and the ecosystems they create. With an extensive new look at Halo Infinite, both in terms of a new story trailer and multiplayer gameplay, 343 Industries has also given interested players a look into how the studio is adapting Battle Pass in a way that honestly should be the norm. 

Discussion on whether or not Battle Passes should even be a thing aside, 343's approach is that access shouldn't expire. The reason this game will have a Battle Pass at all is that the multiplayer is free-to-play, so this is a monetization model for those that just opt into the online experience. In the video below, the studio outlined what Halo fans can expect from Infinite's multiplayer experience, including that of cosmetic items and access to them. 

The Battle Pass is optional and will, like most, include cosmetic options. That being said, 343 has confirmed that it will only offer cosmetic options and nothing that could be interpreted as supporting a pay-to-win model. Unlike most, however, it won't be a time-sensitive feature. For example, like Destiny 2's, others are only available for a limited-time-only, which means the cosmetic options available disappear in the void; Infinite's never expires. Players can take as much time as they want on each Battle Pass, even purchasing older ones if they come into the game early. While you can only progress through one Battle Pass at a time, there is not a time limit placed upon them. 

While this is an awesome way to ensure that players enjoy everything they want to enjoy, and one that I am personally pleased with, this does eliminate a major reason why Battle Passes are such a prevalent feature in live-service games on the industry side. Without that deadline, there is no urgent rush to complete the Battle Pass, which does dim the "accomplished" feel that can sometimes be experienced when that coveted item is unlocked. Each iteration of the Battle Pass model comes with its pros and its cons, but it is nice to see that 343 while adding this model to a free-to-play game, is putting the players first in terms of accessible content. 

To learn more about Halo Infinite, check out our game hub here. While you're at it, feel free to mosey on over to our dedicated E3 2021 coverage tab here to catch up on anything you may have missed from this month.