Summary

  • CD Projekt Red aims to emulate the evolution of The Witcher series with the upcoming Cyberpunk 2077 sequel by iterating on some aspects of the first game while better interconnecting others.
  • Certain elements that worked well in Cyberpunk 2077, such as art, city design, music, and playstyles, may remain largely untouched in the sequel, while the leveling system and NPC interactivity could also make a return without significant changes.
  • The developers plan to connect existing gameplay elements more tightly in order to deliver a "coherent" and immersive experience in the Cyberpunk 2077 sequel, which is still in the conceptual design stage and thus years away from release.

A senior CD Projekt Red official went on record to explain how the Cyberpunk 2077 sequel will emulate the evolution of The Witcher series. This bit of insight into the upcoming RPG arrives 13 months after the studio confirmed that another Cyberpunk 2077 game—code-named Orion—is in the works.

With Phantom Liberty recently releasing to critical acclaim, CDPR is all out of projects that are verging on completion, and is now once again focused on long-term efforts such the Cyberpunk 2077 sequel and the fourth entry in The Witcher franchise. And while the company hence won't have anything substantial to share about its upcoming games in the foreseeable future, its officials still talk about those titles from time to time. For example, CDPR Management and Audio Engineering Director Colin Walder recently revealed that The Witcher 4 development is already significantly different from that of Cyberpunk 2077.

At the same time, the Cyberpunk 2077 sequel will seek to mimic the evolution of The Witcher series. That's according to CDPR Narrative Director Igor Sarzynski, who said as much in a recent interview with PC Gamer. Elaborating on that point, the official highlighted how The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings offered a radically different experience from that of the first installment in the franchise, which, in turn, was once again transformed by The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. CDPR is aiming for "a similar evolution" between Cyberpunk 2077 and its upcoming successor, Sarzynski explained.

Cyberpunk 2077 open restaurant robbery screenshot with game logo
A Cyberpunk 2077 promo screenshot depicting an open-air restaurant robbery, with the game's logo visible in the background.

And while the next Cyberpunk game will hence look to deliver a comparably improved experience, it's still likely to switch things up differently from how The Witcher 2 iterated on its predecessor. "Some of the stuff [in Cyberpunk 2077] worked almost right out of the box, such as the art, city design, music, interactive scene system, playstyles," Sarzynski said, indicating that the upcoming sequel might leave those elements more or less untouched. The leveling system and NPC interactivity could also make a return without significant changes, as the official suggested CDPR is satisfied with their current state, all the while acknowledging both took quite a bit longer "to get right."

Some of the stuff [in Cyberpunk 2077] worked almost right out of the box, such as the art, city design, music, interactive scene system, playstyles.

As a reminder, those aspects of the game were last revamped in September 2023, when the developer released the massive 2.0 update for Cyberpunk 2077. With that transformative patch bringing the game closer in line with CDPR's original vision, the company is now ready to make another attempt at a dystopian RPG formula, except it won't be starting from scratch this time around. Instead, the developers are planning to connect all of those existing gameplay elements "even tighter" in order to deliver "a coherent, total immersion experience" with the second entry in the Cyberpunk franchise, Sarzynski concluded.

Whether CDPR succeeds in doing so won't be known for a good long while yet; during an October investor presentation, another company official revealed that the project is still in a "conceptual design" stage, suggesting that the Cyberpunk 2077 sequel remains years away from release.

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Cyberpunk 2077 Tag Page Cover Art
6 /10

Cyberpunk 2077
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RPG
Action
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Systems
PlayStation-1 Xbox-1 super greyscale 8-bit logo PC-1
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Top Critic Avg: 76 /100 Critics Rec: 66%
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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
Engine
REDengine 4
Cross-Platform Play
ps, xbox, pc
Cross Save
yes
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WHERE TO PLAY

SUBSCRIPTION
DIGITAL
PHYSICAL
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Cyberpunk 2077 is an open-world action-adventure from the creators of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, CD Projekt Red.

Set in Night City, a megalopolis obsessed with power, glamour and body modification, you play as V, a mercenary outlaw going after a one-of-a-kind implant that is the key to immortality.

Upgraded with next-gen in mind and featuring free additional content, customize your character and playstyle as you take on jobs, build a reputation, and unlock upgrades. 

The relationships you forge and the choices you make will shape the story and the world around you. Legends are made here. What will yours be?

Genre(s)
RPG, Action
How Long To Beat
25 Hours
Metascore
75
PS Plus Availability
Extra & Premium