This may be old news, but to me this seems like microtransactions, something CDPR always seemed to avoid, as gamers were generally against it.

I am not a fan or pre-ordering a game, especially when specs are not released and with so many changes that have occured, but at the same time, they did such a great job with the Witcher series, I want to support them.

But, before I do, I want to ensure there are no microtransactions. I refuse to purchase a game that has them.

Here is the site I saw this on: https://www.latintimes.com/cd-projekt-red-following-eas-path-cyberpunk-2077-microtransactions-451943

And another one: https://www.pcgamer.com/cyberpunk-2077-multiplayer-monetisation-is-still-being-explored/

If I am misreading this or behind the times, be kind in your replies! :)

You're about 1 and a half months behind, mate:
https://www.gog.com/forum/general/cyberpunk_will_not_have_micro_transactions_website_apologizes_for_misleading_article

Don't pre-order and wait till game is released, to know what the hell you're buying.

As of now, pre-ordering, is like paying for a promise. That can be broken.

Same advice as any other game - if in doubt, just wait for the reviews (same goes for those waiting for still unpublished and still unknown "TBC" System Requirements). I've always found modern game pre-ordering completely backwards. The time we needed it the most was back in the 90's when a physical boxed game was released during the week but the high-street stores didn't open until after school started, then it made sense to phone in and "reserve" your copy so you could pick it up on the way home from school without it selling out. Or buy it on Amazon so it was delivered on release day not the day after. Today's "replicable to infinity" digital stores have zero such logistical issues, and the publishers get paid exactly the same when pre-ordering vs you buying normally.

The only difference is, pre-ordering has become so massively abused on an industry level when combined with "review embargoes" where the big AAA publishers deliberately demand reviewers withhold reviews of super-buggy / micro-transaction filled games until after the game has launched, whilst "pre-order bonuses" are literally just cheap gimmicks whose sole purpose of existing is to habituate gamers into moving from making informed purchase decisions (waiting for reviews) into uninformed ones (pre-ordering unknowns). And like all large, complex games, pre-orderers will have to wait the same 3-18 months it'll take to patch the bugs out no different to anyone else...

Isn't the microtransactions structure in reference to the multiplayer? That's not coming out on release anyway is it?

there is something to be said for pre-installing. but ultimately, unless you want the preorder bonus skin or whatever, there's not much reason to pre-order digitally.

as for microtransactions: "some" games (a certain multiplayer first person war game comes to mind) have discovered they can patch them in after the reviews come out. _that_ is a new tactic that i really hope does not catch on. scummy scummy move.

i tend to only pre-order something if i'm sure i'll be buying it on release day anyway, and even mostly as a reminder to myself because if i don't i'll probably forget when it's coming out.

Yes, and yes.

If you're just in it for the singleplayer experience you'll be unaffected, at least as far as Cyberpunk 2077 is concerned.

If I pre-order a game, and the only games I do/would pre-order, are from the most amazing devs today, yes Larian Studios.

I simply don't trust any other devs, but Larian! :)

I see I am late to the party. Thank you for posting the link.

Thanks to all the other replies. Good insight on why I should wait overall.