The highly-acclaimed Cyberpunk 2077 will be receiving a sequel, but when will it come out? Read on to learn about our best guess, development updates, and our theories as to where and when it might take place!
When Will the Cyberpunk 2077 Sequel Release?
2028 to 2029 Seems to be the Current Estimate
The sequel to the CD Projekt Red’s(CDPR) Cyberpunk 2077, codenamed "Project Orion," might not hit the physical and digital shelves anytime soon. When the sequel was announced in 2022, the Polish game development studio was still focusing on the base game’s expansion, "Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty." They had their hands full until the expansion’s release to critical acclaim, touting the game’s resurgence as a huge success. However, Cyberpunk 2077 isn’t CDPR’s only franchise. Shortly after Phantom Liberty, half of their total workforce have moved on and is now all-hands-on-deck for the production of The Witcher 4.
Rest assured, this does not mean that Project Orion will be set aside and not receive the love, care, and attention it should. CDPR revealed in their Q1 FY23 Earnings Call that instead of the main studio situated in Warsaw, Poland developing the sequel, it will be the new Vancouver and Boston studios that will spearhead the development of the title.
Production finally commenced in the start of 2024, when CDPR narrative director Igor Sarzyński announced on Twitter(X) that he had settled into the company’s Boston office "to kickstart our Orion journey." It was mentioned in the aforementioned earnings call that the majority of 2024 will be spent for research and development to ensure quality and care for the highly anticipated sequel.
Seeing as development is in its very embryonic stages, it will certainly be a long time before Orion sees the light of day. One could look back at Cyberpunk 2077’s infamously lengthy development time as a sign and proclaim that the sequel will require the same time between its announcement in 2012 and release in 2020. However, CDPR will merely build upon the already-built foundation from the previous title and will also take great care to ensure that the past development struggles and delays won’t happen again. To halve the 8-year timespan for Cyberpunk 2077 for its sequel lands us on an optimistic 4-5 year wait, with an estimated release timeframe of 2028 to 2029.
Cyberpunk 2077 Sequel "Orion" Development Progress
The Cyberpunk 2077 sequel "Project Orion" is currently in pre-production and is slated to spend most of 2024 in the research and development phase. It will be developed by CDPR’s new studios based in North America, Vancouver and Boston respectively. Recently, the two studios have hired notable game industry veterans onboard for the sequel, amassing a team of highly skilled and well-experienced developers. More in-depth information about the gaming figureheads can be found in the article through the link below.
Cyberpunk 2077 Sequel "Orion" Theories and Details
No official details for the game have been confirmed for the sequel as of writing. The story, characters, setting, gameplay, and even the genre are still up in the air. However, CDPR Co-CEO Michael Nowakowski stated that the company has considered adding multiplayer for Orion. No other information directly from any official CDPR source has surfaced for the sequel.
Instead, fans have taken to the streets of Night City to investigate for themselves. Fans on Reddit have brandished their keen eyes and spotted a few clues in the game that could point to the sequel being set in Chicago in 2080. More extensive details are available at the link below.
Sources:
CD PROJEKT Group Q1 2023 earnings conference - audio webcast
