Cyberpunk 2077 may be more than six years old, but its latest update has given players another reason to return to Night City. CD Projekt Red recently rolled out Update 2.5, a surprisingly large patch packed with new quests, customization options, gameplay features, cross-platform mod support, and technical improvements. And it appears to have brought a significant number of players back.

Since November 2023, Cyberpunk 2077’s Steam player count has generally peaked between 40,000 and 85,000 players. There have been occasional jumps, including a peak of 101,558 players in July this year, before the figure dropped to around 55,000 in September.

Update 2.5 has completely changed that trend. According to SteamDB, the game’s peak player count has been climbing day after day following the update, and yesterday, it reached 183,782 concurrent players. This is the highest peak Cyberpunk 2077 has seen in around three years, with a previous peak hitting 274,526 on Steam when Update 2.0 (and the Phantom Liberty expansion) dropped in October 2023

What’s new in Update 2.5?

There is plenty in Update 2.5 that could explain why players are returning. The patch introduces two new side quests, Clampdown and Welcome to Paradise, along with 12 additional Minor Arcana Tarot Cards to find around Night City. Players can also dual-wield certain pistols and revolvers through a new perk, customize their hand cyberware at Glamdocs, and pick up several new clothing options.

Another major addition is cross-platform mod support through mod.io, which allows players to browse supported community-made content from within the game. The feature extends beyond PC to PS5, PS5 Pro, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch 2. Console players have also received an FOV slider, while PC users can take advantage of DLSS 4.5 with up to 6X Multi Frame Generation. The update also includes HDR, ray-tracing, performance, and quality-of-life improvements.

That said, Cyberpunk 2077 probably won’t maintain nearly 184,000 concurrent players for long. The numbers will naturally fall as returning players finish the new quests and explore the other additions. Still, the spike shows how a good update can breathe new life into an older game, attracting new players while giving existing fans a strong reason to return.

About the Author

Abdul Haddi

Abdul is a tech writer and Editor for PC Guide, specializing in all things tech, gaming, and hardware.