Cyberpunk 2077 is set to get a sequel codenamed Project Orion, but the nature of its story remains unclear. Players can witness a variety of endings at the end of Cyberpunk 2077, making the continuation of the first game's story a little bit tricky. Choosing a canon ending will be controversial, regardless, which makes V's place in the narrative a difficult task for CD Projekt Red.
Although many would like to see V return as the main protagonist, that may be unlikely. V's varied outcomes in Night City after the climax of Cyberpunk 2077 can make the character a living legend, which is all well and good, but expanding their story beyond that runs the risk of being repetitive or even disappointing. However, there is one way that V could live on that would still make the character a central part of the story. This time around, V could take on Johnny's role.
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Project Orion Passing the Torch From Johnny to V
Depending on the player's relationship with Johnny Silverhand, he can either be entertaining or a real pain. Regardless, he's a fascinating plot point, and Project Orion may feel empty without a similar character. Johnny's neural engram being implanted in V creates a dystopian buddy cop scenario that serves as a major part of the story's heart. While a returning V may be an unlikely protagonist, their engram being implanted in a potential new main character could prove to be the perfect path forward.
A Full Circle Moment
V taking the place of Johnny Silverhand would be an ironic twist of fate for the Night City legend, but that could serve as a compelling direction for the character. While V can still technically live on, they are just a mere representation of their conscience. Some may find this to be a sad way to bring V back to the series, but it also drives home Cyberpunk 2077's dystopian themes.
Depending on which ending players get in Cyberpunk 2077, V's story has many routes, and an engram can be the key to continuing their legacy without CD Projekt Red having to commit to a canon ending. Also, at the start of the game, players could pick between which version of V they would prefer, male or female, so their playthroughs of the original can feel more connected.
Project Orion was announced in 2022 and entered active development in 2024.
The Story of V and the Other Characters of Cyberpunk 2077 May Be Over
There is always the possibility that CD Projekt Red finds a satisfying way to continue V's story from Cyberpunk 2077 without causing a stir, but it may be best to start from scratch with a brand-new protagonist. V's likeness being coded into a neural engram is intriguing, but it still presents some hurdles, especially when it comes to the fates of other characters. CD Projekt Red would have to decide whether to address the outcomes of V's allies, and that could be just as controversial. However, if Project Orion opted for a blank slate, the open-ended possibilities of Cyberpunk 2077 allow players to come to conclusions on their own.
Johnny's neural engram being implanted in V creates a dystopian buddy cop scenario that serves as a major part of the story's heart.
As of now, Project Orion is bound to be years away before CD Projekt Red is ready to reveal in-game footage. With The Witcher 4 next in line, a long wait for Project Orion is not only highly likely but necessary. Cyberpunk 2077 was able to bounce back from its notorious launch, but having a similar launch with Project Orion would be a lot more challenging to make up for. In the meantime, there is still a treasure trove of content in Cyberpunk 2077. It may be a while before Project Orion confirms what direction the story will take, but it's exciting to speculate.
Cyberpunk 2077
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 76 /100 Critics Rec: 66%
- Released
- December 10, 2020
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- CD Projekt Red
- Publisher(s)
- CD Projekt Red
WHERE TO PLAY
- Franchise
- Cyberpunk
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
