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CD Projekt Red risked the reputations of others to insulate Cyberpunk 2077 – VentureBeat

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Cyberpunk 2077 is out, and it’s the only thing people can talk about. But while many people are playing and enjoying it, many others are encountering a game that is broken and buggy — especially on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Over the past week, developer CD Projekt Red has tried to apologize to fans, but in the process it has often soured sentiment about the game and itself even more. And the company’s actions reveal that it was willing to risk its own reputation as well as the reputation of its partners and reviewers to isolate Cyberpunk’s launch from fair criticism or further delays.

As a reviewer with the benefit of hindsight, I feel duped and used by CDPR. And maybe the company didn’t make a conscious choice to use the media to deceive fans. But that’s what it feels like, especially in the light of the company’s ongoing behavior toward partners like Sony and Microsoft and toward gamers themselves. It also feels in line with the company’s recent history of transphobic and edgelord marketing.

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Last week, CD Projekt Red apologized to fans for failing to reveal the PS4 and Xbox version during the promotional period of the game. But the studio did not give a reason for why it made that decision — and yet it had clear motivation to only show Cyberpunk 2077 running on PC. The game is rough on PS4 and Xbox One due to bugs, but it also performs significantly worse. The apology feels weak. It’s the kind of thing a company does when it knows it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than to be forthright about the state of its product.

My immediate response when something like this happens is to lay responsibility with consumers. We shouldn’t spend money on things until we fully understand what we’re buying. I still feel that way, but I think we should also acknowledge that CD Projekt Red took every step it could to ensure people felt informed without fully understanding the reality of the PS4 and Xbox One versions.

It feels like CD Projekt Red used reviewers to help fool consumers

CD Projekt Red designed the Cyberpunk 2077 review process with the purpose of getting the best possible reviews while minimizing the media’s opportunities to inform their audiences about the flaws. The media is complicit in this and must take its share of the blame. But CDPR also minimized the opportunity for reviewers to understand what they were agreeing to take part in.

As someone who reviewed Cyberpunk 2077, I should’ve been more skeptical. It’s crucial to always examine how the marketing machine is trying to use the media. But throughout the process, CD Projekt Red presented Cyberpunk 2077 like any other normal review without ever disclosing that the experience we were getting on PC could feel materially different than the experience on consoles.

Let me recap the events of the review to illustrate what I mean.

Before Thanksgiving, CDPR’s external PR firm reached out to inform the media that it was getting codes. Media could go to a website to request a code for PS4, Xbox, Stadia, or PC. It’s a simple process that has worked well in the past, so going into the long holiday weekend, most people felt confident that they would be getting review code for their platform of choice.

And I remember taking this as a good sign for the state of the game. CDPR seemed confident by offering up codes to so many people for all platforms.

But a few days later, CD Projekt Red’s internal PR began reaching out to a much smaller pool of media. And this time, the deal is that you get a code if you plan to review on PC.

This isn’t abnormal. Cyberpunk 2077 review keys were in high demand, so it seemed like CDPR was trying to keep things quiet so it wouldn’t upset the hundreds of people who would still have to wait for a code. But taken with everything else, this also now feels like part of the manipulation — especially because my understanding is very few codes ever went out to people who requested them through the PR website.

Feeling unwittingly complicit

But by most other measures, the review embargo was normal. By the time we got code, we had six days to play before the embargo expired for written reviews. That’s not a lot of time, but it’s also not unusual. And the written reviews had no stipulations attached to them. We could talk about any and all problems with the game including bugs and crashes.

But that unrestricted written review embargo also now feels like a diversion tactic. As part of written reviews, you could post a video, but you could only use CD Projekt Red’s B-roll. Now, generally, this also isn’t too abnormal. Sony games often come with embargoes that restrict what captured video you can use in your content. It’s more rare, however, that the review embargo prohibits the use of any captured footage and restricts use only to official B-roll. Typically, other companies will say you can use footage from this beginning area only or something to that effect.

That should’ve raised red flags, but the video embargo also expired before the release of the game. And as a site that primarily works in text, it wasn’t something I thought about too much.

When I wrote my review, I assumed I was generally playing the same game that everyone would get. That is a failure of imagination on my part, but in my view, CDPR cultivated that false sense of reassurance in the first place.

With hindsight, CDPR’s actions in the review process seem manipulative to me.

  • The company never showed Cyberpunk 2077 running on PlayStation 4 or Xbox One prior to release.
  • It said explicitly that the game runs surprisingly well on those systems.
  • Through its external PR, it suggested that console codes were ready to go prior to release.
  • It then quietly only let reviewers experience the game on PC.
  • Even on PC, however, it wouldn’t let critics post footage of bugs and crashes until two days after the game nailed its initial reviews.
  • During this process, CDPR never communicated to the audience or to the media that the PS4 or Xbox One versions would run significantly worse.

Most people who purchased or preordered the game for PS4 and Xbox One didn’t see the game’s subpar performance and bugs until Cyberpunk’s release day. Even if some fans saw footage earlier, they probably also saw the 90-plus Metacritic score.

And over the weekend, I assumed that a lot of this was just circumstantial evidence that proved nothing but unfortunate coincidences. But that was before I noticed that CDPR was treating Sony, Microsoft, and its fans the same way.

CD Projekt Red’s disappointing behavior is now a pattern

I can only get so mad at CD Projekt Red. Yes — I feel like the studio tried to use me to mislead people. But it seems like a company acting desperately due to the pressures of running a publicly traded gaming studio. One of the true frustrations of capitalism is the futility of punishing other people. What’s the point if the system is going to remain the same? It’s like whenever a character in a movie dismissively says, “It’s just business.”

But that doesn’t mean we have to forget CDPR’s behavior during the Cyberpunk launch. I just want to be realistic about the power I hold. And that’s limited because I’m not interested in handing out pitchforks and torches.

It’s also limited because I’m not Sony or Microsoft. And I think those are the entities that CD Projekt Red might really have to answer to.

CD Projekt Red threw those companies under the bus by revealing that Cyberpunk 2077 was able to bypass final Xbox and PlayStation certification. This is for a game that launched with a scene that caused epileptic seizures. Developers know that they can get waivers to launch on consoles without final certification as long as they plan to fix issues by launch. But that’s not something developers say out loud to gaming fans. Because what CD Projekt Red has just implied is that Microsoft and Sony are complicit by way of inaction of releasing a game that could have injured vulnerable people.

It’s a bad idea to potentially expose your business partners to liability (deservedly so) in what seems like an effort to take some heat off of your studio.

On top of that, as part of its apology, CD Projekt Red put the burden of refunds on Sony and Microsoft. The studio told customers to ask those companies to return the game. But this is not something CDPR discussed or arranged with Sony or Microsoft, according to its emergency call with investors on Tuesday. Many people are reporting that Sony is denying refunds. Once again, in an effort to take heat off of its game, CDPR looks like it’s putting one of its partners into the crosshairs.

CDPR’s actions appear like it’s willing to drag Sony’s and Microsoft’s reputations down with it. And if that’s true, then it seems obvious to me that it would also risk the reputation of critics in the media.

Compared to CDPR burning its reputation with major platforms, burning critics barely even rates.

So far, Microsoft and Sony haven’t said much about CD Projekt Red or Cyberpunk. PlayStation customer-support representatives are telling customers to wait for a patch.

GameStop is now also telling people to seek out refunds directly from CD Projekt Red.

Gaslighting gamers

What finally convinced me to write this, however, was GOG backpedaling today on its plans to release the survival-horror game Devotion. This game previously launched on Steam before the developer pulled it due to review bombing because it included a mild jab at Chinese president Xi Jinping. Earlier today, GOG, which CD Projekt Group owns, said the game would come to its store.

A few hours later, the company posted this on Twitter:

It’s disappointing that yet another company is bowing to censorship pressure from China. But again, we live under capitalism, and “don’t talk about China” is the unstated rule at nearly every media company in the world. But what really stands out to me is how GOG phrases its reasoning.

“After receiving many messages from gamers” is how the tweet reads. Once again, a CD Projekt Group beefed something and once again it is shifting the blame somewhere else. This wasn’t GOG’s cowardice — they’re just doing this for the gamers.

And burning reviewers is one small thing. Burning Microsoft and Sony is another. But using gamers as your shield for giving into censorship is the most telling of all. When this company’s back is against the wall, it will drag someone else in front of it.

But I’m not angry. I feel like my anger would add nothing on top of what Sony’s and Microsoft’s lawyers are capable of. Instead, I’m writing this, and I’m doing so as a reminder to myself and others to treat CD Projekt Red with complete skepticism in the future. We should default to the assumption that the company is hiding something.

That’s the best way to insulate yourself against companies that behave like CD Projekt Red.


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Take-Two Interactive to Acquire 'Borderlands' Developer Gearbox From Embracer Group for $460 Million – Yahoo Canada Sports

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Take-Two Interactive has acquired video game developer Gearbox, the maker of the “Borderlands” franchise, from Embracer Group for $460 million.

Per Take Two, the company “expects the transaction to deepen its successful relationship with Gearbox Entertainment and to provide increased financial benefits through a fully integrated operational structure.”

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As part of the deal, Take-Two will acquire Gearbox IP, including “Borderlands” and “Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands” franchises, games published by Take-Two’s 2K Games, as well as “Homeworld,” “Risk of Rain,” “Brothers in Arms” and “Duke Nukem.”

Currently, Gearbox has six “key interactive entertainment projects in various stages of development,” per Take-Two, which includes five sequels, two from “Borderlands” and “Homeworld” universes, and at least one “exciting new intellectual property,” all of which have been acquired in the sale.

Take-Two’s purchase of Gearbox is expected to close in June, pending regulatory approval. Upon completion, Gearbox will operate as a studio within 2K, continuing to be led by Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford and his management team.

Former Gearbox owner Embracer, a Swedish gaming conglomerate who snapped up the rights to “Lord of the Rings” two years ago, has undergone a severe restructuring program over the past year, which has seen the company shut down or dispose of dozens of games studios and titles and lay off hundreds of staff, resulting in aftershocks that have reverberated throughout the games industry.

The sale of Gearbox marks the latest insistence of Embracer unloading assets, following the company divesting Saber Interactive.

“Our acquisition of Gearbox is an exciting moment for Take-Two and will strengthen our industry-leading creative talent and portfolio of owned intellectual property, including the iconic Borderlands franchise,” Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick said. “This combination enhances the financial profile of our existing projects with Gearbox and unlocks the opportunity for us to drive increased long-term growth by leveraging the full resources of Take-Two across all of Gearbox’s exciting initiatives.”

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An OLED iPad Pro and the first big-screen iPad Air will reportedly arrive in May – Engadget

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Apple will finally launch new iPads in early May, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. Expected are a new iPad Pro with an OLED display and a faster iPad Air, including a 12.9-inch model for the first time in that lineup. The details of the upcoming iPad models have been consistent, circulating through the rumor mill since last year.

The new iPad Pro models will reportedly add OLED displays (offering deeper blacks and richer colors) and run on the new M3 chip, already found in several Macs. The new tablets are said to launch alongside a redesigned Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard. Other than a white color option, the latter has remained unchanged since its arrival four years ago.

Meanwhile, the iPad Air will supposedly run on a new processor. Bloomberg didn’t specify which, but — considering the current model uses the M1, and Apple likely wants to reserve the M3 for the more expensive Pro — the M2 sounds like a safe bet. The 12.9-inch screen option would mark the first time the iPad Air line has offered a display larger than 10.9 inches. Although Apple will charge more for that model than the smaller sibling expected alongside it, that would be the cheapest way yet to get a supersized iPad screen.

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Gurman said early this month that the new tablets would launch alongside the M3 MacBook Air, but the laptop arrived without any iPads in tow. He now reports that Apple’s release schedule was pushed back to finish working on the devices’ software and ironing out the kinks from the “complex new manufacturing techniques” they require.

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Ashleigh Oakridge offers boutique-style condos with concrete construction – Vancouver Sun

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Peterson Group’s latest project will be chock-full of amenities and have timeless interiors

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It may not sound exciting to say the big selling points for a new condominium project are that it’s concrete construction and four storeys. But start thinking in terms of getting all the benefits of concrete-tower construction in a sophisticated, boutique-style building of only 34 to 35 units, chock-full of amenities, situated on a quiet, tree-lined Vancouver street and the appeal is obvious—especially to those downsizing in the neighbourhood.

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“That on its own really sets it apart because if you want to be in a boutique setting, you don’t love the idea of highrises, and you want a concrete home type, there aren’t many options. It’s highly unique,” explains Barrett Sprowson, vice-president of sales and project marketing at Peterson Group, the developer of the Ashleigh Oakridge project, which will be composed of three buildings when completed.

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Two of the three buildings, the Berkley and the Alma, will be constructed first, with the Cambridge following later. Each one will have its own curb appeal, but all are designed to integrate into the neighbourhood, hence the plan to maintain the existing trees. The wellness amenities of sauna, steam room, cold and hot plunge pools and fully-equipped fitness room are centrally located in the Berkley for all the residents’ use. All three buildings have their own rooftop amenities that feature an indoor-outdoor flow from an expansive entertainment and co-workspace to patio lounging, dining, fire pits, communal gardens and children’s play area.

The interiors at Ashleigh Oakridge will feature classic styling with design-forward touches.
The interiors at Ashleigh Oakridge will feature classic styling with design-forward touches. Photo by Supplied by Peterson Group

The interiors of the homes, which Sprowson says offer generous, well-laid-out floorplans, feature numerous elevated design details that complement a classic esthetic. His personal favourite is the pot filler over the gas cooktop in the kitchen. “There’s not too many times you run into that, and there’s a little feature that’s practical, helpful and useful but is also tricky and expensive to do,” he says.

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The interior design team at Ste. Marie Studio framed their overall concept around the idea of classic styling accented with design-forward touches.

“We looked at it through the lens of a single-family home and wanting it to feel really timeless,” says Craig Stanghetta, founder and creative director of Ste. Marie Studio. “We don’t want it to feel that it doesn’t have a little bit of risk. There’s a little bit of risk in terms of some brushed metal accents.”

Their use of a bold marble for the kitchen backsplashes makes a dramatic visual statement, but though striking, the pattern is a classic marble, not one heavily veined, and one that would be at home in a Paris apartment or a New York brownstone, Stanghetta observes. In the larger homes, they’ve used it to wrap the islands. “They become a big feature, but in some of these other ones, we’re using the manufactured stone in those areas and letting the backsplash be the big design gesture,” Stanghetta says.

The wellness amenities will include sauna, steam room, cold and hot plunge pools and a fully-equipped fitness room.
The wellness amenities will include sauna, steam room, cold and hot plunge pools and a fully-equipped fitness room. Photo by Supplied by Peterson Group

In the smaller units where the backsplashes are marble, but quartz is used on the counter and island surfaces, the team introduced a dining table-island combination that works for multiple uses—kitchen prep, home office or dining—and the generous bank of wall storage available in the L-shaped configuration allowed for this unique style of island.

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“I think we just acknowledged that sometimes people are prioritizing different things, and if you’re in a one-bedroom living scenario, then we want the flexibility to choose your own adventure with that piece of furniture,” Stanghetta explains.

The appliance package is Miele and features built-in coffee makers, gas ranges, speed ovens, wall ovens and, in some units, wine fridges. There are also sleek can lights over the islands and open shelving for personalizing the space. Sprowson notes that the full-height pantries also boost the kitchens’ functionality and that, though expected when downsizing from a single-family home, they’re often not an option in condo living.

“It’s also a striking kitchen. You look at the marble backsplash and the marble countertop with the waterfall edge, and you’ve got all the functionality, but it’s also, dare I say, very pretty to look at,” he says.

When complete, each building at Ashleigh Oakridge will have rooftop amenities that include an entertainment and co-workspace, patio lounging, dining, fire pits, communal gardens and children's play area.
When complete, each building at Ashleigh Oakridge will have rooftop amenities that include an entertainment and co-workspace, patio lounging, dining, fire pits, communal gardens and children’s play area. Photo by Supplied by Peterson Group

The bathrooms reflect that same mix of functionality and sophisticated styling, with details like flattering sconce lighting and wall-mount toilets. Stanghetta says the floating shelf under the medicine cabinet creates a “nice balance of high-functional storage but then these clean lines that also give you a more fully designed and realized space.”

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He notes that the double vanities in the larger bathrooms have an oversized countertop, a beautiful detail that works with the timeless design concept: attention to detail that will last. The combination of timelessness with contemporary accents creates interiors that reflect the project’s overall vision.

The development is ideally situated to allow residents to be central to everything while enjoying a quiet location.

“This is a viable option for anyone who wants concrete, a good amount of space, decent amenities, all the walkability and proximity to Oakridge and all the cool stuff that’s on the Cambie corridor,” Stanghetta observes.

Ashleigh Oakridge

Project Address: 5080 Ash Street, Vancouver

Project Scope: A development of three, four-storey, concrete, boutique buildings offering one, two and three-bedroom homes that range from 590 to 1,800 square feet. Each building features rooftop amenities and a shared wellness and fitness centre in the Berkley building.

Developers: Peterson Group

Architects: GBL Architects

Prices: Starting in the low $800,000s

Sales centre: Ashleigh PC 2094 W 43rd Ave, Vancouver

Sales centre hours: Open daily (Except Friday), noon to 5 p.m.

Sales phone: 604-476-429

Website: ashleighoakridge.com

Occupancy date: Estimated completion summer 2028

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  1. Hael Construction Inc., project, Stargaze, is a HAVAN Awards for Housing Excellence finalist in six categories: Best New Small-Scale Home,  Best Multiplex Development, Best Custom Home: $1 Million — Under $1.5 Million, Best New Custom Kitchen: Under $175,000, Best Non-Certified High-Performance Home: New or Renovated, BC Housing Award for Excellence in Housing Solutions, plus Hael Construction is a finalist for Grand HAVAN Custom Home Builder of the Year Award.

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