Apparently, the folks over at CD Projekt RED ran into a bit of an issue recently, as it was revealed today that they were the subject of a ransom demand regarding their upcoming project Cyberpunk 2077. In a letter they posted publicly, they reveal that they had been contacted by an unknown individual or individuals who had possession of some internal files belonging to the company... including documents connected to early design work for Cyberpunk 2077.
The individual demanded ransom - how much is unknown at this time - stating that if CD Projekt RED did not comply, they would release the files to the general public. CD Projekt RED's letter rejects the ransom demand, and informs people that the documents may end up online and they plan on contacting the proper legal authorities. Part of what they wanted to share though was that they wanted to state that the documents are older and they believe 'largely unrepresentative of the current vision' of the game. Their view is that if you are looking forward to playing Cyberpunk 2077 it would be best to avoid the information and wait for more official information.
If you want to read the full letter we've embedded the tweet with it below.
Quick Take
Ransom demands like this are becoming a part of the world these days, and largely for the worse. CD Projekt RED made what is likely the right call here, either calling the bluff or taking the blow that might come on the chin. There are some risks here - if the documents have a scope larger than what there is in the future announcements, disappointments may occur like the recent response to the Pokemon Direct lacking the rumored Pokemon Star and just having Pokemon Ultra Sun, Pokemon Ultra Moon, and Pokken Tournament Deluxe. On the other hand, we have seen companies roll with leaks well before - Activision famously did it with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 where they turned it into opportunity. Other companies like Bethesda and Ubisoft have also dealt with leaks, sometimes years in advance of a product launch, and released commercially successful products.
The demand for a ransom here makes this one somewhat different than those on what we know at least. There's a much different tone with it, and not all the documents may have to do with Cyberpunk 2077 as well adding another layer of potential problems. Needless to say, we think people who do this sort of information grab and try to hold at ransom as doing something horribly wrong breaking numerous laws and creating tons of undue harm and stress.
