Highly anticipated: Fans are getting anxious for the release of Cyberpunk 2077. When CD Projekt Red indicated that the campaign was fully playable last year many speculated a 2019 launch. However, recent word on staffing levels seems to indicated the studio has not yet entered the finalization phase of the project.

Cyberpunk 2077 may still be a long way off if staffing levels are any indication. Even though CD Projekt Red confirmed the entire campaign was playable and that the game was "progressing fast and according to plan," there are still reportedly over 400 developers working on the project with more being hired.

CDPR's Investor Relations Director Karolina Gnaś told Polish outlet StockWatch, "The team working on Cyberpunk 2077 already has over 400 people."

The statement was in response to questions about whether the loss of Creative Director Sebastian Stępień was going to push back the development of the game.

"His departure does not affect the pace of work on our latest title in any way," said Gnaś.

Stępień was quietly poached by Blizzard Entertainment sometime in January according to Gamasutra. With such a large pool of talent, it is no wonder that the loss of the game's creative director is not slowing it down. However, it also raises the question: "Exactly how far off is Cyberpunk 2077?"

As the development of a game winds down, its staff is whittled back. A title that is still being worked on by 400 developers does not sound like one close to completion. For comparison, The Witcher III: Wild Hunt had 250 developers working on it at the peak of its development. Granted, Cyberpunk is a much more ambitious project, but 400 is the same staffing level the studio claimed back in 2017 when it assured fans and investors the game was still on track.

Furthermore, CDPR is currently hiring more developers for the project. Just a few days ago it tweeted it was looking for an artist to work on the Cinematics team.

The only timeframe for completion CD Projekt Red has ever given was sometime between 2017 and 2021 --- it will launch "when it's done," it has famously said. A release before the end of 2019 seems reasonable when you consider the campaign is more or less complete and playable. However, looking at the sizeable remaining staff indicates there is still a lot of work to be done. Launching this year seems highly unlikely.