CD Projekt's eagerly awaited sequel to Cyberpunk 2077, codenamed Project Orion, remains shrouded in mystery, but Cyberpunk creator Mike Pondsmith has offered tantalizing glimpses into its development. Pondsmith, who collaborated closely with CD Projekt on the original game and played a significant role in its promotion before the 2020 release, shared some insights during the Digital Dragons 2025 conference.
While Pondsmith mentioned that his involvement with Project Orion isn't as deep as with the first game, he does review scripts and has visited CD Projekt to see the progress firsthand. He recounted his recent visit, where he engaged with various departments and provided feedback on new elements such as cyberware.
The most intriguing detail Pondsmith revealed is that Project Orion will introduce a brand new city alongside the familiar Night City from Cyberpunk 2077. He described this new urban setting as "like Chicago gone wrong," suggesting a dystopian atmosphere reminiscent of, but not necessarily set in, Chicago. This comment has sparked speculation about the nature of the new city and whether it will be a reimagined future version of Chicago or simply share its thematic essence.
There's ongoing debate about whether the sequel will expand on the existing Night City or introduce a new version entirely, and to what extent these cities will be playable. While much remains uncertain, it appears that Project Orion may feature two detailed, explorable cities.
Every CD Projekt Red Game In Development
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Currently, CD Projekt's primary focus is on The Witcher 4, but they've established a new studio in Boston dedicated to working on Project Orion. Earlier this year, it was reported that 84 out of CD Projekt's 707 employees are involved in Project Orion, which is still in its conceptual stages. Given its early development phase, significant changes are expected, and fans shouldn't anticipate an immediate release.
In addition to Project Orion, CD Projekt is expanding the Cyberpunk universe with a new animation project on Netflix, following the success of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. In the near future, Cyberpunk 2077 is also slated to launch on the Nintendo Switch 2.
