The launch of CD Project Red’s Cyberpunk 2077 was fairly divisive but things seem to be looking up as the game’s player count has recently seen a dramatic increase.

The reason for this is likely due to the game receiving a price discount and the release of the game’s tie-in anime series: “Cyberpunk: Edgerunners” which recently premiered on Netflix. 

According to Steam, Cyberpunk 2077 had a player count of just under 25,000 on Thursday the 15th of September 2022. Since then the game has seen a sharp increase in players over the weekend peaking at 85, 555 simultaneous users on Sunday 18th.

The Cyberpunk 2077 tie-in anime Cyberpunk: Edgerunners by Studio Trigger (Kill La Kill, Promare) was released on September 13th. The anime has since gained critical acclaim from fans and reviewers alike for its eye-catching smooth animation and action-packed story. While we have no direct confirmation from CD Project Red, I don’t think it’s too big a stretch to say that the success of anime has led to some people wanting to give the game another try.

In all fairness, however, the anime isn’t the only thing drawing players back to Night City. The game also recently launched its 1.6 update/patch which brought some interesting new inclusions to the game. The update implemented a clothing transmog system, cross-platform progress support, new mini-games, and a number of new bug fixes.

Finally, Cyberpunk is also currently holding a half-price discount on Steam, giving players far more incentive to give it a try.

Cyberpunk 2077 is available for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.

The anime Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is available for streaming on Netflix.