CD Projekt’s highly anticipated sequel to Cyberpunk 2077, codenamed Project Orion, remains shrouded in mystery, yet Cyberpunk creator Mike Pondsmith has tantalizingly shared some new details. Pondsmith, who played a pivotal role in the development and promotion of the 30 million-selling Cyberpunk 2077 ahead of its 2020 release, was queried about his involvement with Project Orion during the Digital Dragons 2025 conference.
Pondsmith revealed that while his involvement isn't as extensive this time, he does contribute by reviewing scripts and visiting CD Projekt to oversee the ongoing work. He recounted a recent visit where he engaged with different departments, offering feedback on elements such as the new cyberware: “Last week I was wandering around talking to different departments, and seeing what they had, ‘Oh look, this is the new cyberware, what do you think?’ ‘Oh yeah, that’s pretty good, that works here.’"
A particularly intriguing revelation was the introduction of a new city in Project Orion, in addition to the familiar Night City from Cyberpunk 2077. Pondsmith described this new locale as reminiscent of "Chicago gone wrong." He elaborated on his interaction with the environment team: “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 — I’m not telling you any more than that but 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 remarks hint at a city with the atmosphere of a dystopian Chicago rather than confirming a future Chicago setting. This leaves room for speculation about whether the sequel will expand upon the existing Night City or introduce a new version, and to what extent these settings will be playable. The possibility of two detailed, playable cities in the sequel adds an exciting layer of anticipation.
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While CD Projekt's immediate focus is on The Witcher 4, a new studio in Boston is dedicated to Project Orion. Earlier this year, CD Projekt reported that 84 out of its 707 staff members were working on Project Orion, which remains in the conceptual stage. Given its early development, significant changes are expected before its eventual release.
In addition to Project Orion, CD Projekt is branching into other media with a new Cyberpunk animation project set to premiere on Netflix, following the success of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. In the near future, fans can also look forward to Cyberpunk 2077 making its debut on the Nintendo Switch 2.
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