In a recent revelation, a senior official at CD Projekt Red has shed light on the development direction of the upcoming Cyberpunk 2077 sequel, drawing inspiration from the evolution seen in The Witcher series. This insight into the highly anticipated RPG follows the studio’s confirmation 13 months ago that a new Cyberpunk 2077 game, codenamed Orion, is in the works.
With the recent release and critical acclaim of Phantom Liberty, CD Projekt Red finds itself temporarily without projects nearing completion, redirecting its focus toward long-term endeavors such as the Cyberpunk 2077 sequel and the fourth installment in The Witcher franchise. While substantial details about these forthcoming games may not surface in the near future, CDPR officials intermittently share insights into their ongoing work. In a recent interview with PC Gamer, CDPR Narrative Director Igor Sarzynski discussed how The Witcher 4 development differs significantly from that of Cyberpunk 2077.
Simultaneously, the Cyberpunk 2077 sequel aims to replicate the evolutionary trajectory seen in The Witcher series. Sarzynski articulated this intention, emphasizing how The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings delivered a substantially different experience from the first game in the series, which was then further transformed by The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. CD Projekt Red is striving for a “similar evolution” between Cyberpunk 2077 and its upcoming successor, as Sarzynski explained.
While the next Cyberpunk game aims to offer an enhanced experience, it is likely to introduce unique changes compared to how The Witcher 2 iterated upon its predecessor. Sarzynski noted that certain aspects in Cyberpunk 2077 worked almost seamlessly right from the beginning, such as the art, city design, music, interactive scene system, and playstyles. The leveling system and NPC interactivity may also undergo minimal adjustments, as CDPR appears content with their current state. Nevertheless, the official acknowledged that these elements took considerable time to refine.
These elements of the game underwent a substantial revamp in September 2023 with the release of the transformative 2.0 update for Cyberpunk 2077. With this update aligning the game more closely with CDPR’s original vision, the company is now prepared to refine the dystopian RPG formula without starting from scratch. The developers intend to weave together existing gameplay elements even more tightly to deliver a seamless and immersive experience in the sequel of the Cyberpunk franchise, Sarzynski emphasized.
The success of this endeavor will remain uncertain for a considerable duration; an official during an October investor presentation revealed that the project is currently in a “conceptual design” phase, suggesting that the release of the Cyberpunk 2077 sequel is still several years away.
