CD Projekt RED, the maker of Cyberpunk 2077, addressed concerns about offensive language found in the Ukrainian localization after the latest patch. The studio explained that those lines were added without its knowledge and do not reflect the company’s views. The issue was first brought to light by the DTF portal and sparked discussion across the gaming community.
In the Cyberpunk 2077 version 2.0 update, which rolled out in September 2023, players noted the inclusion of Russophobic phrases in the Ukrainian dialogue. By contrast, the same phrases in other language localizations appeared neutral or even positive, fueling strong reactions among Russian-speaking players and fans of the game.
CD Projekt RED issued an official apology, stating it would replace the offending lines in a forthcoming update. The company clarified that it did not handle Ukrainian translation in-house and had contracted an outsourcing studio for this work. The outsourcing partner’s name was not disclosed in the public statement.
In the developers’ words, the Ukrainian localization contains wording that may offend some Russian-speaking players. They emphasized that these lines were not authored by CD Projekt RED staff and do not represent the company’s stance. The team promised fixes in the next update and extended an apology, noting steps would be taken to prevent a recurrence.
Alongside patch 2.0, the game received its first story expansion, Phantom Freedom, released on the night of September 26. The expansion included Russian localization at the subtitle level, but did not feature voiced dialogue in Russian. This choice drew attention to the broader approach the firm takes toward localization and player accessibility.
Earlier announcements around potential release windows for new titles and content have kept the conversation around localization and community reception active, underscoring how language choices can shape player experience across different regions and languages.