What Is Going On With Cyberpunk 2077’s Sequel?

by

CD Projekt Red, the developers behind popular RPGs, gained significant recognition with The Witcher 3. Building on that success, they aimed even higher with Cyberpunk 2077, a large-scale, open-world sci-fi game. Despite a rocky launch and considerable controversy in 2020, Cyberpunk 2077 proved popular enough to warrant a sequel. The studio had spent years building anticipation for the game, but unfortunately, the release didn’t go as planned.

The release of Cyberpunk 2077 was famously disastrous. Despite a lot of initial sales driven by pre-release excitement, the game was riddled with bugs, especially on gaming consoles. Over several years, the developers worked to fix these issues and improve the game to meet player expectations, ultimately rescuing it by the time the Phantom Liberty expansion launched in 2023. This success gave fans optimism about a potential sequel, and now CD Projekt Red is officially working on it, having learned valuable lessons from the first game’s development.

Everything We Know About the Cyberpunk 2077 Sequel

CD Projekt is officially working on a sequel to Cyberpunk 2077, and it’s no longer just speculation. While the game doesn’t have an official title yet, it’s currently known internally as Project Orion. The studio has also been calling it Cyberpunk 2, but it’s uncertain if that will be the final name – it might even include a year like the first game. We’ll likely have to wait some time before the official title is revealed.

Even though Cyberpunk 2 was first mentioned in 2022, actual planning didn’t begin until May 2025. This pre-production phase involves creating prototypes and solidifying the game’s design. Considering the studio typically spends five years developing a game, it’s unlikely we’ll be able to play Cyberpunk 2 before the 2030s.

CD Projekt typically spends four to five years developing a game, from the initial planning stages to its release, according to co-CEO Michał Nowakowski. However, he noted that every game is different and development timelines can vary, so they avoid giving precise release dates. This four-to-five year timeframe is a general estimate.

While details are still scarce, Cyberpunk 2 will once again take place in Night City. The game’s creator, Mike Pondsmith, has revealed that a second city, described as a distorted version of Chicago, will also be included, significantly expanding the game’s world. It’s unlikely that V, the protagonist from the first game, will return, given the multiple endings which offer a conclusive fate – either death or complete departure from Night City.

Many fans assumed this meant Keanu Reeves wouldn’t reprise his role as Johnny Silverhand, but Reeves has said he’d like to be involved in Cyberpunk 2. The game’s creator, Mike Pondsmith, has hinted that there are potential ways to include Silverhand in the sequel’s story, though he hasn’t explained how.

CD Projekt estimates that creating the game will require between 350 and 500 developers. However, as of May 2025, only around 100 developers are currently working on Cyberpunk 2. While the main studio is in Poland, CD Projekt Red has expanded its teams to new locations in Boston and Vancouver, both to handle more projects and to build a more diverse workforce.

CD Projekt Red is currently prioritizing the development of The Witcher 4, with a team of over 400 developers working on it. While The Witcher 4 will launch before Cyberpunk 2, the company likely plans to bring in additional external developers to speed up work on Cyberpunk 2. This way, the Cyberpunk 2 team won’t be delayed waiting for resources. Both games will be built using Unreal Engine 5, a change from CD Projekt Red’s own REDengine. This switch to a more widely-used engine should make it easier to find and hire skilled developers, as more people are already familiar with Unreal Engine.

Gabriel Amatangelo, who directed the highly-regarded Phantom Liberty expansion for the first game, is leading the development of Cyberpunk 2. He’s working with experienced game writers like Anna Megill (Control), suggesting the sequel is being crafted by a talented team and fans have plenty to look forward to.

Recent job postings hint that the next Cyberpunk game might include a multiplayer option. The developers have mentioned considering it, but haven’t officially confirmed anything. It’s important to remember that Cyberpunk 2077 originally planned for multiplayer, but those plans were cancelled. This time, the team might be better prepared to deliver on it, but the extent of the multiplayer experience is still unknown. Will it allow players to team up cooperatively, feature a large open world like GTA Online, or focus solely on player-versus-player combat? It’s too early to tell.

When Will We Hear More About Cyberpunk 2?

Expect to see occasional small updates about Cyberpunk 2 over the next few years. CD Projekt Red is generally open and communicative about their work, so we’ll probably get little hints here and there in investor reports and interviews. But a full trailer or gameplay reveal is likely still years away.

The first trailer for The Witcher 4 was released last year, and it will likely be 2-3 years before the game is ready. Because of this, don’t expect to see a trailer for Cyberpunk 2 anytime soon – probably not until the next generation of consoles is well underway. CD Projekt learned a lot from the issues with Cyberpunk 2077. They showed a lot of gameplay and features before release that either didn’t make it into the final game or were significantly different. Now, they’re being much more careful about what they reveal and promise for future games to avoid disappointing players.

What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!

https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/worst-video-game-launches-ever/embed/#

Read More

2025-11-21 03:13