Discounted Cyberpunk 2077 Outsells New Gears of War Launch on Steam Charts
Nearly six years after its December 2020 release, Cyberpunk 2077 has surpassed Gears of War: E-Day on Steam's global Top Sellers chart, ranking third overall compared to E-Day's eighth position. The achievement is notable given that Cyberpunk 2077 is currently discounted at 70% off for $17.99, while Gears of War: E-Day retails at its standard $69.99 price. The ranking demonstrates the enduring commercial success of CD Projekt Red's RPG, which continues to generate significant revenue despite its age.
Cyberpunk 2077's remarkable commercial performance extends well beyond this single chart ranking. Since its troubled 2020 launch, the game has accumulated 40 million sales by mid-2026, demonstrating consistent growth momentum. The five-year sales trajectory shows particularly strong acceleration, adding 10 million copies between November 2024 and July 2026 alone—a pace faster than previous years. This sustained success mirrors the trajectory of CD Projekt Red's The Witcher 3, another title that achieved exceptional longevity through deliberate post-launch support strategies.
The current Steam ranking warrants careful interpretation, as Gears of War: E-Day faces dual distribution pressures including Xbox Game Pass availability, which may redirect potential PC purchasers away from direct purchases. Additionally, Cyberpunk 2077's steep 70% discount substantially inflates its revenue ranking relative to actual unit sales compared to E-Day's full-price positioning.
This story may influence industry perspectives on long-term game investment and post-launch development cycles. Publishers could view Cyberpunk 2077's sustained performance as validation for dedicating resources to recovery and improvement following problematic launches, potentially affecting development budgets and timelines across the sector. Conversely, the chart comparison—complicated by pricing, distribution, and Game Pass factors—could mislead stakeholders about direct competitive positioning between established and newly-released titles.