CD Projekt’s eagerly awaited sequel to Cyberpunk 2077, codenamed Project Orion, remains shrouded in mystery, yet Cyberpunk creator Mike Pondsmith has recently shared intriguing tidbits about the project. Pondsmith, who played a pivotal role in the development and promotion of the original Cyberpunk 2077, which sold over 30 million copies, spoke about his involvement with Project Orion at the Digital Dragons 2025 conference.
Although Pondsmith mentioned he is less involved with Project Orion compared to the original game, he confirmed his role in reviewing scripts and visiting CD Projekt to observe the ongoing development. During his visit, Pondsmith engaged with various departments and offered feedback on new elements, such as cyberware.
Perhaps the most exciting revelation from Pondsmith is that Project Orion will introduce a new city alongside the iconic Night City from Cyberpunk 2077. He described this new city as reminiscent of a dystopian Chicago, stating, “I spent a lot of time talking to one of the environment guys, and he was explaining how the new place in Orion, because there’s another city we visit... And Night City is still there. But I remember looking at it and going, yeah I understand the feel you’re going for this, and this really does work. And it doesn’t feel like Blade Runner, it feels more like Chicago gone wrong. I said, ‘Yeah, I can see this working.’”It’s important to clarify that Pondsmith’s comments suggest a city with the atmosphere of a dystopian Chicago rather than an actual future Chicago. While the exact nature of this new city remains unclear, there is speculation about whether Project Orion will expand upon the existing Night City or introduce an entirely new version, possibly with two distinct, playable cities.
Every CD Projekt Red Game In Development
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Currently, CD Projekt is primarily focused on The Witcher 4, but a new studio in Boston has been established to work on Project Orion. Earlier this year, it was reported that 84 out of CD Projekt’s 707 employees were dedicated to Project Orion, which is still in its conceptual stage. Given this, fans should not expect the game to be released anytime soon.
In addition to Project Orion, CD Projekt is also working on a new Cyberpunk animation project for Netflix, following the success of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. In the near future, Cyberpunk 2077 is set to launch on the Nintendo Switch 2, further expanding its reach to new audiences.
