Highlights

  • Cyberpunk 2077 has improved greatly with updates, but Phantom Liberty DLC was the last major expansion.
  • Canceled Moon DLC hints at Project Orion sequel's potential space travel story in the Cyberpunk 2077 universe.
  • Previous DLCs turning into full sequels, like GTA Vice City, suggest Project Orion may explore lunar settlements.

Cyberpunk 2077 has come a very long way since its controversial launch in 2020, with CD Projekt Red having placed a lot of care into post-launch updates that put the game in a much more enjoyable state. Alongside these general improvements, the recent launch of its Phantom Liberty DLC was a huge success, really hammering home just how much the game has been bettered over the years.

The popularity of Cyberpunk 2077's Phantom Liberty expansion was bittersweet due to the fact that it will be the only major DLC expansion that 2077 will receive, with many fans still wanting fresh experiences set in the game's captivating world. This sentiment was only heightened by the recent news of another DLC for Cyberpunk 2077 that was canceled early on into its development, which would have reportedly taken players to human societies on the Moon. Although this DLC never materialized, it could give fans a very useful glimpse into what the story of 2077's sequel, Project Orion, might look like.

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Cyberpunk 2077's Canceled DLC May Mean Project Orion Will Take to the Stars

Project Orion was first announced in late 2022, confirming that CD Projekt Red was already looking to the future of the Cyberpunk franchise. Of course, CDPR is currently directing its attention to its other major gaming franchises like The Witcher, and it may be some time before more information about Orion is released. With no details coming out any time soon, the recent reports around 2077's canceled Moon DLC may offer the best indication of what CD Projekt Red's future vision of the IP looks like.

While 2077's setting of Night City was the perfect representation of the title's core themes, fans did not really get a glimpse of what life is like outside the location throughout the game and throughout Phantom Liberty. Players can take to space at the end of the title through two of Cyberpunk 2077's many endings, with V either undergoing treatment on an Arasaka Space Station or carrying out a heist on the space-set Crystal Palace Casino. This, combined with the plans for 2077's canceled DLC to take place on the Moon, shows a clear pattern of space travel that Project Orion may deliver on.

The canceled DLC would have showcased intense corporate battles taking place on the Moon, and the expansive nature of this setting and story could have been shelved for a full sequel. If this is the case, Project Orion's story may be split between settlements on the Moon and on Earth, logically building on the gameplay experiences that were available to players through 2077. The current codename of Project Orion could be a huge nod to this, with Orion being a famous constellation in the night sky.

Project Orion Coming From a Canceled DLC Would Not Be Uncommon

It is also fairly common for canceled DLCs to eventually surface as full sequel releases, with the likes of GTA Vice City, Assassin's Creed Mirage, and even Hollow Knight: Silksong originally being intended as DLC expansions. With a clear precedent being set for canceled DLCs resurfacing as more expansive releases throughout the history of the industry, it is clear why so much attention is being given to Cyberpunk 2077's lunar plans.

While no more content is planned for Cyberpunk 2077, it is clear that the future of the franchise has many narrative threads to explore. Although fans are currently in the dark over which thread will be used for Project Orion, the focus on space towards the end of 2077's narrative and its canceled DLC plans could easily see a Moon-set story in the franchise's future.