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Cyberpunk 2077 from developer CD Projekt Red had a challenging start when it was released in December 2020–the issues were so bad that Sony removed the game from sale entirely on the PlayStation Store. But the game rebounded in a very meaningful way and went on to become a critical and a commercial success. In fact, following the 2.0 update and release of the Phantom Liberty expansion, it’s one of the best comeback stories in modern times for games.
With more than 25 million units sold, it’s one of the most successful video games in history. Naturally, CD Projekt Red is moving ahead with a sequel that’s in development right now at one of the team’s newest studios.
In this post, we’re rounding up everything we know so far about the Cyberpunk 2077 sequel, which doesn’t have an official title as of yet and is in the works under the working title Project Orion.
In addition to the Cyberpunk 2077 sequel, CD Projekt is working on The Witch 4, a remake of the original Witcher, a new IP, and more–the studio is very busy.
When will Cyberpunk 2077 sequel be released?
This is a big unknown. So far, CD Projekt Red and upper management at the Polish studio have spoken in broad strokes about Cyberpunk 2077 and have shied away from specifics. Management has not provided even a release window, or a target, for the game. This is not unusual, though, as the game is no doubt still early in development. For context, Cyberpunk 2077 was announced in 2012 and wouldn’t be released until eight years later. So fans should get comfortable as they await the sequel.
Preorder Cyberpunk 2077 sequel
Preorders for the Cyberpunk 2077 sequel are not open yet, and if you see any retailer taking orders this early, you should not give them your money or information.
Cyberpunk 2077 sequel trailer information
Cyberpunk 2077’s sequel has no trailer or even any concept art as of yet. Rest assured, as soon as we get information on art or video for Cyberpunk 2077’s sequel, we’ll bring it to you.
Cyberpunk 2077 sequel platforms
Platforms for the Cyberpunk 2077 sequel have not been confirmed, but CD Projekt has a history of supporting both PC and console. The studio operates its own PC storefront, GOG, which offers games without DRM. It’s likely that would be the case for Cyberpunk 2077’s sequel as well, though this is not confirmed as of yet.
Cyberpunk 2077 sequel story, setting, and characters
Unfortunately, there is basically nothing to go on in terms of specifics for the Cyberpunk 2077 sequel at this stage pertaining to its story, settings, and characters. Fans can reasonably assume, however, that it’ll be another RPG set in the future. It will also be “uniquely American,” which follows on from the news that the game is being developed by CD Projekt’s new team in Boston.
“I think Cyberpunk is obviously a uniquely American story,” acting executive producer Dan Hernberg explained in an episode of the AnsweRED podcast. “It’s got a lot of like, punk energy, and [the tabletop game] was written by an American, so it just seems right to do it in America.”
Cyberpunk 2077 sequel game engine
In 2022, CD Projekt shocked some fans by announcing it would abandon its own internal engine, Red Engine, and instead partner with Epic Games to use the company’s Unreal Engine 5 for its future projects.
CTO Pawel Zawodny said Unreal Engine 5’s updates help with the kind of open-world game development that the Polish studio is known for, and this was a major selling point. “This opens a new chapter for us, where we really want to see how our experience building open-world games is combined with the engineering power of Epic,” Zawodny said.
Who’s developing Cyberpunk 2077 sequel?
CD Projekt Red is developing Cyberpunk 2077’s sequel. Specifically, the company’s newest office in Boston, Massachusetts is leading development on the game. A number of staffers from the first Cyberpunk 2077 relocated to Boston to work on the sequel, including Igor Sarzyński, the narrative director for Cyberpunk 2077 and Project Orion.
“I couldn’t be more excited for this project and I’m sure we can make it something special. 2077 was just a warm-up,” “early stages of development,” CD Projekt said in a news release. The team working on the game includes a number of senior staffers from the original game, including Gabriel Amatangelo (game director), Paweł Sasko (associate game director), Igor Sarzyński (creative director), Andrzej Stopa (cinematic director), Kacper Niepokólczycki (environment art director), Sarah Grümmer (acting lead quest designer), and Kacper Kościeński (engineering director).
As for people who joined the Boston studio to work on the sequel, these include former lead product manager at Blizzard, Dan Hernberg, who is an executive producer on the Cyberpunk 2077 sequel; IO Interactive and Massive Entertainment’s Ryan Barnard as design director; and Mortal Kombat technical director Alan Villani, who is engineering director on the Cyberpunk 2077 follow-up.
Additionally, writer Anna Megill (Control, Dishonored: Death of The Outsider, Guild Wars 2, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora) is joining the Cyberpunk sequel as its lead writer. Megill also worked on the narrative elements for Microsoft’s upcoming Fable game. Finally, novelist and comic book writer Alexander Freed is working on the writing for the Cyberpunk 2077 sequel. Freed was previously a lead writer at BioWare on Star Wars: The Old Republic, and he also wrote or consulted for DICE, Obsidian, and Wizards of the Coast.
Pawel Sasko, the associate director of the next Cyberpunk game, said he’s interested in expanding on the concept of reactivity that was more of a focus in Phantom Liberty, which he worked on as quest director.
“We want to make sure that whole DNA is preserved and still in the game. In Phantom Liberty, there’s this moment where the story splits almost, and that’s the structure that we used with Witcher 2, actually, and Blood and Wine with Witcher 3 as well–where you had a split in the middle [that leads to] completely different branches with completely different endings,” Sasko explained.
Sasko also mentioned that Cyberpunk 2077 needs to validate its players’ choices. “If you in your story have made a certain choice and that’s the way you have decided to go with your V and your partners and whoever else you met in the game, that’s your story. It’s important when making those decisions not to invalidate what players have been doing because it is their story and the decisions they made,” the developer said.
Keep checking back with GameSpot for more on the Cyberpunk 2077 sequel as we learn more.
