New nightmare metropolis: Cyberpunk author says sequel will feature a city described as "Chicago where everything went wrong"
The author of the original Cyberpunk intellectual property, Mike Pondsmith, made an interesting statement: the upcoming sequel to Cyberpunk 2077, codenamed Project Orion by CD Projekt Red, will feature a completely new city, which, according to him, feels like "Chicago gone wrong".
Here's What We Know
Speaking at the Digital Dragons 2025 conference, Mike Pondsmith, founder of R. Talsorian Games, was asked about Project Orion. This sequel to Cyberpunk 2077 is being developed by the new North American division of CD Projekt Red, which has studios in Boston and Vancouver.
Pondsmith said that he is not as actively involved in the creation of the second game as he was with Cyberpunk 2077, but he is closely monitoring its progress. According to the game designer, the sequel will feature both the familiar Night City and a second, yet undisclosed location.
"I've spent a lot of time talking to one of the guys who does the environments, and he was explaining to me about another city we're visiting in the game, and I'm not going to tell you anything else. Night City is still there, but there's going to be a new one," said Mike.
Pondsmith continued: "I remember looking at it and thinking: 'I understand the feeling you're going for, and it really works. This city is like Chicago, where everything went wrong.' And I said: "Yes, I can see it working."
The Cyberpunk 2077 sequel is being developed under the leadership of the core team members behind the original game and its expansion, Phantom Liberty. These developers have moved to North America to lead the development of the new title. CD Projekt Red has also announced the appointment of several experienced industry veterans to work on the sequel, including Dan Hernberg, who previously served as head of production at Amazon Games and Panic Button, as well as a senior product manager at Blizzard.
Not much is known about the Cyberpunk 2077 sequel yet. However, according to the job postings, the game aims to present "the most realistic crowds ever seen in a video game". CD Projekt Red has also stated that the fact that its new Boston studio is working on the Cyberpunk 2077 sequel means that the game is likely to be more authentically American than the original.
Source: VGC
