From broken at launch to slowly becoming a cult classic: Is Cyberpunk 2077 the new Skyrim?

Cyberpunk 2077 is no longer the game it once was. The title and its developer CD Projekt Red have come a long way since the opening launch debacle. Not only has the game improved, it has also carved a niche of its own.

Aside from the efforts of CD Projekt Red, mods have played a vital role in covering the game's glaring weaknesses. Last week, Jensen Huang of Nvidia highlighted how important mods are in the gaming world and cited the example of the Elder Scrolls titles. Notably, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim owes a lot to mods.

Recent news has suggested that Cyberpunk 2077's player count has increased significantly since the Edgerunners update dropped. Furthermore, the game has jumped from 15th to 10th in Nexus mods, showing that beginners and veterans alike are well invested in going the extra mile.

There are ample reasons as to why CD Projekt Red's game could be walking the same path as Skyrim.

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Cyberpunk 2077 is slowly becoming the game everyone wanted, thanks to official and unofficial content

Anyone playing Cyberpunk 2022 in September 2022 can't possibly imagine just how bad it used to be. After several delays, fans hoped that the developers would take the extra time to churn out perfection. The reality couldn't have been more different, as the title felt extremely rushed at launch.

While the potential was there, the release was disappointing with poor gameplay mechanics, botched execution, and a plethora of bugs. It got so bad that there were class-action lawsuits filed against CD Projekt Red. Before long, Cyberpunk 2077 became the subject of jokes and memes.

While CD Projekt Red is revered for The Witcher trilogy, their work in the sci-fi franchise is even more impressive. Many would argue CD Projekt Red has delivered what they should have in the very first place.

However, multiple disasters in the gaming industry have never recovered from poor first impressions. Cyberpunk 2077 is a different story as it had the worst of starts, followed by a steady period of constant recovery and improvements.

The mods have played their part, bringing the whole Skyrim discussion to the table. After all, the final edition of The Elder Scrolls series looks very different today from its original release. This is largely due to the mods available on sites like Nexus Mods.

The same has happened for Cyberpunk 2077, and the mods have had a huge impact. Thanks to them, one can play in third-person mode, which is something that's yet to be officially introduced. Furthermore, the mods have added a variety of new avenues to the game.

Cyberpunk 2077 keeps getting official new content, with the first major DLC coming in 2023. That said, the mods will ensure a much longer shelf life for the title, as they have done with Skyrim. Players are still investing their time with Bethesda's product despite it being a single-player game from over a decade ago.

There had been news that CD Projekt Red would be looking to wrap up Cyberpunk 2077 following the release of Phantom Liberty. That said, the DLC is still some time away. Meanwhile, the developers are offering gradual improvements in the interim.

With mods, however, the potential becomes infinite, and the numbers don't lie. As the player count has increased, so has the usage of mods.

Whether it can reach Skyrim's level remains to be seen. Based on the mods showcased, there's a lot of promise. Cyberpunk 2077 will certainly improve as more modders join the party, and it will be an interesting time for ardent players.