{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,15]],"date-time":"2026-06-15T06:07:41Z","timestamp":1781503661442,"version":"3.54.1"},"reference-count":48,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,5,9]],"date-time":"2023-05-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1683590400000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/page\/policies\/text-and-data-mining-license"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Games and Culture"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2024,7]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>Cyberpunk 2077 's negative reception stood in striking contrast to the pre-release hype around the video game built by the producer's marketing campaign and the gaming press. This study examines a selection of gaming websites, to consider their pre-release Cyberpunk 2077 coverage and the discrepancies between these early reports and the released game. Using inductive conventional content analysis, framed as thematic analysis, 148 press articles were investigated divided into nine subcategories, and three categories. These articles told an almost exclusively positive narrative, promising great performance and features. The uncritical reception of publisher information by journalists allows the authors to propose the notion of \u201cbroken promises marketing\u201d. The article contextualizes this term in the gaming ecosystem, arguing that over-optimistic marketing is amplified through features of the online press ecology. Finally, the results are considered from a business ethics perspective, with a set of communications recommendations for both journalists and game publishers.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1177\/15554120231173479","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,5,10]],"date-time":"2023-05-10T11:15:12Z","timestamp":1683717312000},"page":"650-669","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":5,"title":["Broken Promises Marketing. Relations, Communication Strategies, and Ethics of Video Game Journalists and Developers: The Case of\n                    <i>Cyberpunk 2077<\/i>"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"19","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1644-5915","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Piotr","family":"Siuda","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Kazimierz Wielki University, Bydgoszcz, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Dariusz","family":"Regu\u0142a","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Kazimierz Wielki University, Bydgoszcz, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3183-8119","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jakub","family":"Majewski","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Kazimierz Wielki University, Bydgoszcz, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0003-1482-1539","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Anna","family":"Kwapiszewska","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Kazimierz Wielki University, Bydgoszcz, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,5,9]]},"reference":[{"key":"bibr1-15554120231173479","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4324\/9781315161372-5"},{"key":"bibr2-15554120231173479","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/009365027600300101"},{"key":"bibr3-15554120231173479","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1191\/1478088706qp063oa"},{"key":"bibr4-15554120231173479","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/978-981-10-5251-4_103"},{"key":"bibr5-15554120231173479","unstructured":"Buchalter J. H. (2020, December 31).\n                      Cyberpunk 2077: Everything You Need To Know About Non-Lethal Combat\n                      . TheGamer. https:\/\/www.thegamer.com\/cyberpunk-2077-non-lethal-combat-guide\/"},{"key":"bibr6-15554120231173479","unstructured":"Burton A. (2022, August 16).\n                      Working Culture and the Recruiting Process at CD PROJEKT RED\n                      . 80.lv. https:\/\/80.lv\/articles\/working-culture-and-the-recruiting-process-at-cd-projekt-red\/"},{"issue":"2","key":"bibr7-15554120231173479","author":"Carlson R.","year":"2009","journal-title":"Transformative Works and Cultures"},{"key":"bibr8-15554120231173479","unstructured":"CD Projekt: Rynek wyczekuje na sukces Wied\u017amina 3 | Analizy\n                      . (n.d.). SII. Retrieved December 4, 2022, from https:\/\/www.sii.org.pl\/7716\/analizy\/raporty-analityczne\/cd-projekt-rynek-wyczekuje-na-sukces-wiedzmina-3.html"},{"key":"bibr9-15554120231173479","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/14614448211014213"},{"key":"bibr10-15554120231173479","unstructured":"Epps R. (2020, March 10).\n                      CD Projekt Red Makes Great Games By Focusing On The Players\n                      , Not The Profits. TheGamer. https:\/\/www.thegamer.com\/cd-projekt-red-great-games-focusing-on-players-not-profits\/"},{"issue":"1","key":"bibr11-15554120231173479","first-page":"3","volume":"14","author":"Frelik P.","year":"2022","journal-title":"Journal of Gaming"},{"key":"bibr12-15554120231173479","unstructured":"Gry-online.pl na czele, Steamcommunity przed Epicgames, a Twitch przed PPE.pl (TOP10 serwis\u00f3w o grach)\n                      . (n.d.). Retrieved December 4, 2022, from https:\/\/www.wirtualnemedia.pl\/artykul\/gry-online-pl-na-czele-steamcommunity-przed-epicgames-a-twitch-przed-ppe-pl-top10-serwisow-o-grach"},{"key":"bibr13-15554120231173479","unstructured":"Hall C. (2020, December 4). Cyberpunk 2077 has involved months of crunch, despite past promises.\n                      Polygon\n                      . https:\/\/www.polygon.com\/2020\/12\/4\/21575914\/cyberpunk-2077-release-crunch-labor-delays-cd-projekt-red"},{"key":"bibr14-15554120231173479","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10551-019-04159-y"},{"key":"bibr15-15554120231173479","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10551-016-3408-z"},{"key":"bibr16-15554120231173479","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1049732305276687"},{"key":"bibr17-15554120231173479","unstructured":"Isaac M., Browning K. (2020, December 19). Cyberpunk 2077 Was Supposed to Be the Biggest Video Game of the Year. What Happened?\n                      The New York Times\n                      . https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2020\/12\/19\/style\/cyberpunk-2077-video-game-disaster.html"},{"key":"bibr18-15554120231173479","unstructured":"K\u0119dzierski R. (2022, December 9).\n                      Globalny sukces Wied\u017amina 3. Jak wyni\u00f3s\u0142 polsk\u0105 bran\u017c\u0119 gier do \u015bwiatowej ekstraklasy\n                      . nextgazetapl. https:\/\/next.gazeta.pl\/next\/7,187110,29234917,globalny-sukces-wiedzmina-3-jak-wyniosl-polska-branze-gamingowa.html"},{"key":"bibr19-15554120231173479","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S1499-4046(06)60097-3"},{"key":"bibr20-15554120231173479","volume-title":"Nie tylko Wied\u017amin. Historia polskich gier komputerowych","author":"Kosman M.","year":"2015"},{"key":"bibr21-15554120231173479","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1108\/10610421011018347"},{"key":"bibr22-15554120231173479","author":"Lu C.","year":"2020","journal-title":"DiGRA '20 - Proceedings of the 2020 DiGRA International Conference: Play Everywhere (Conference of Digital Games Research Association)."},{"key":"bibr23-15554120231173479","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1386\/jgvw_00051_1"},{"key":"bibr24-15554120231173479","unstructured":"Moro C., Birt J. R. (2022). Review bombing is a dirty practice, but research shows games do benefit from online feedback.\n                      The Conversation\n                      . https:\/\/theconversation.com\/review-bombing-is-a-dirty-practice-but-research-shows-games-do-benefit-from-online-feedback-188641"},{"key":"bibr25-15554120231173479","unstructured":"Morris T. (2017, November 28).\n                      CDPR devs speak up on the realities of working on Witcher 3, Cyberpunk\n                      2077. GameZone. https:\/\/www.gamezone.com\/news\/cd-projekt-red-developers-speak-up-on-the-realities-of-working-on-witcher-3-and-cyberpunk-2077-3461430\/"},{"key":"bibr26-15554120231173479","unstructured":"Na marketing \u201eCyberpunka 2077\u201d CD Projekt wyda wi\u0119cej ni\u017c na \u201eWied\u017amina 3\u201d, gra na rynku najszybciej pod koniec 2019 roku\n                      . (n.d.). Retrieved December 4, 2022, from https:\/\/www.wirtualnemedia.pl\/artykul\/na-marketing-cyberpunka-2077-cd-projekt-wyda-wiecej-niz-na-wiedzmina-3-gra-na-rynku-najszybciej-pod-koniec-2019-roku"},{"key":"bibr27-15554120231173479","volume":"5","author":"Nieborg D. B.","year":"2009","journal-title":"DiGRA '09 - Proceedings of the 2009 DiGRA International Conference: Breaking New Ground: Innovation in Games, Play, Practice and Theory"},{"key":"bibr28-15554120231173479","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chb.2018.03.024"},{"key":"bibr29-15554120231173479","volume-title":"The CRPG Book: A Guide to Computer Role-Playing Games","author":"Pepe F.","year":"2019"},{"key":"bibr30-15554120231173479","unstructured":"Purchese R. (2017, October 16).\n                      CD Projekt Red: \u201cThis approach to making games is not for everyone\u201d\n                      . The Witcher maker responds to issues of studio morale. Eurogamer. https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/cd-projekt-red-this-approach-to-making-games-is-not-for-everyone"},{"key":"bibr31-15554120231173479","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3991\/ijim.v14i15.16691"},{"key":"bibr32-15554120231173479","volume-title":"Interactive Entertainment: A Videogame Industry Guide","author":"Rabowsky B.","year":"2009"},{"key":"bibr33-15554120231173479","volume-title":"Blood, Sweat, and Pixels: The Triumphant, Turbulent Stories Behind How Video Games Are Made","author":"Schreier J.","year":"2017"},{"key":"bibr34-15554120231173479","unstructured":"Schreier J. (2021, January 16).\n                      Inside Cyberpunk 2077's Disastrous Rollout. Developers say they knew the game wasn\u2019t ready to be released publicly\n                      . Bloomberg. https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/news\/articles\/2021-01-16\/cyberpunk-2077-what-caused-the-video-game-s-disastrous-rollout"},{"key":"bibr35-15554120231173479","first-page":"353","volume-title":"Marketing management in Turkey","author":"\u015eeng\u00fcn S.","year":"2018"},{"key":"bibr36-15554120231173479","volume-title":"Prosumpcjonizm pop-przemys\u0142\u00f3w. Analiza polskich przedsi\u0119biorstw z bran\u017cy rozrywkowej","author":"Siuda P.","year":"2013"},{"key":"bibr37-15554120231173479","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1367877916666117"},{"issue":"1","key":"bibr38-15554120231173479","first-page":"7","volume":"7","author":"\u0160velch J.","year":"2017","journal-title":"Kinephanos: Journal of media studies and popular culture"},{"key":"bibr39-15554120231173479","unstructured":"Tassi P. (n.d.).\n                      A Theory On Where Cyberpunk 2077\u2019s Lifepath Content Went\n                      . Forbes. Retrieved December 27, 2022, from https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/paultassi\/2021\/04\/04\/a-theory-on-where-cyberpunk-2077s-lifepath-content-went\/"},{"key":"bibr40-15554120231173479","unstructured":"VanOrd. (2015, May 24). The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Review.\n                      GameSpot\n                      . https:\/\/www.gamespot.com\/reviews\/the-witcher-3-wild-hunt-review\/1900-6416135\/"},{"key":"bibr41-15554120231173479","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/info11050242"},{"key":"bibr42-15554120231173479","unstructured":"Werner A. (2020, December 12).\n                      Cyberpunk 2077 na Metacritic\u2014Opinie i oceny graczy s\u0105 fatalne | GRYOnline.pl\n                      . GRY-Online.pl. https:\/\/www.gry-online.pl\/newsroom\/cyberpunk-2077-na-metacritic-opinie-i-oceny-graczy-sa-fatalne\/za1ef8f"},{"key":"bibr43-15554120231173479","unstructured":"Williams L. J. (2020, December 7).\n                      Cyberpunk 2077: Every Major Development Since\n                      2012. Kotaku Australia. https:\/\/www.kotaku.com.au\/2020\/12\/cyberpunk-2077-timeline\/"},{"key":"bibr44-15554120231173479","unstructured":"Wolda\u0144ski B. (2021, April 24).\n                      Cyberpunk 2077 \u2013 wiemy, ile wyni\u00f3s\u0142 bud\u017cet na sam\u0105 produkcj\u0119 gry CD Projekt RED, a ile na kampani\u0119 marketingow\u0105\n                      . PurePC.pl. https:\/\/www.purepc.pl\/cyberpunk-2077-wiemy-ile-wyniosl-budzet-na-sama-produkcje-gry-cd-projekt-red-a-ile-na-kampanie-marketingowa"},{"key":"bibr45-15554120231173479","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4324\/9781315748900"},{"key":"bibr46-15554120231173479","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4324\/9780203106495-11"},{"key":"bibr47-15554120231173479","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1386\/jgvw_00049_1"},{"key":"bibr48-15554120231173479","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.24136\/cxy.2019.004"}],"container-title":["Games and Culture"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/15554120231173479","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1177\/15554120231173479","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/15554120231173479","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,29]],"date-time":"2026-04-29T06:34:19Z","timestamp":1777444459000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/10.1177\/15554120231173479"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2023,5,9]]},"references-count":48,"journal-issue":{"issue":"5","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2024,7]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1177\/15554120231173479"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/15554120231173479","relation":{},"ISSN":["1555-4120","1555-4139"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1555-4120","type":"print"},{"value":"1555-4139","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2023,5,9]]}}}