GYGO: CD Projekt Red Keeps Digging That Hole

Hi there and welcome to Get Your Game On! My name is Zainabb and this weekend, my friend set up my computer so that I can now play my massive PC gaming backlog on my television while lounging on the sofa, and I am SO EXCITED. Please take some time over the next couple of days to put together a self care plan for Christmas and the rest of the holiday period if, like me, you find this time of year difficult or triggering. Part of my self care is going to involve playing mystery games on my sofa while eating chocolate biscuits.

CD Projekt Red Faces Backlash and Refunds Over Cyberpunk 2077, and Does a U-Turn on Releasing Devotion on GOG

The Cyberpunk 2077 fiasco continues as CD Projekt Red (CDPR) have backtracked on their statement implying they would provide refunds to dissatisfied gamers who purchased the game. A day after making this statement, CDPR told gamers to seek refunds where they purchased the game, including via Sony, Microsoft, and retail stores.

Many players were unable to get a refund, mostly due to restrictions on refunds for played games, but Sony and Microsoft have since updated their policies. Both companies are now offering full refunds and a simplified process. However, Sony has also pulled the game from the Playstation Store. Microsoft is still selling the game digitally but has added a notice to the game’s page which warns potential buyers about bugs and performance issues.

In addition, Best Buy offered refunds until December 21st, making an exception to its policy which does not usually allow refunds on opened games. Linked to these refund issues is a potential lawsuit that investors may file against CDPR, with the lawsuit inviting investors and others impacted by the “suspension of the sale of the Cyberpunk 2077 product.”

Meanwhile, in other CDPR news, GOG announced that they would be listing Taiwanese horror game Devotion—and then decided not to list the game later that same day. The game was initially released by developer Red Candle Games in February 2019 but came under fire for an Easter egg in the game that featured a meme mocking China’s President Xi Jinping. The developer pulled the game from Steam, stating it would undergo a complete QA check, after it was spammed with negative reviews in stark contrast to highly positive reviews elsewhere.

GOG has not provided any further information on who called for the removal of Devotion from their storefront, and it’s uncertain how Red Candle Games will re-release the game moving forward. However, there is clear enthusiasm from gamers to play the horror title, while other indie developers are removing their titles from GOG in solidarity.

In other news…

A new Digimon fitness tracker is launching in March, allowing you to train your Digimon as you exercise. The new product, called the Vital Bracelet, features a pedometer and heart rate monitor, and will also allow players to battle each other. The Bracelet comes with a companion app as well as interchangeable cards that will load up different monsters.

Among Us is out now on Nintendo Switch, featuring cross-play with PC and mobile. The Switch release of the game also features a preview of the upcoming “Airship” level, due to launch across platforms in early 2021.

A startup is developing an Xbox dongle called Kidas, which aims to monitor online gaming activity and notify parents of cyberbullying. The product is still in an early testing phase but does raise concerns around privacy, particularly as messages that are flagged currently require verification by humans. It’s worth noting that the idea for Kidas came out of the founder’s previous work on surveillance for the Israeli military, which raises further questions around ethics and the privacy of Kidas’s users.

Twitch has banned the terms “simp,” “incel,” “virgin,” and others when used to harass people on the popular streaming platform. Following reports of sexual harassment and misconduct on the platform, Twitch has announced stricter rules around the issue alongside the banning of insults about others’ perceived sexual preferences and behaviours

Zainabb Hull

Zainabb Hull is an editor at Sidequest, a freelance writer and videographer, and sort-of artist. They’re also a trans, queer, and disabled brown femme. They tweet into the void at @ZainabbHull.