Highlights

  • Project Orion, the sequel to Cyberpunk 2077, will run on Unreal Engine 5, promising a different gameplay experience.
  • Project Orion will supposedly make a variety of changes to the gameplay, such as adding a new crafting system.
  • Developers aim to improve character progression and NPC interactivity in Orion, following a similar evolution path as The Witcher.

The wait might be excruciating, but a sequel to Cyberpunk 2077 is coming. While the sequel from CD Projekt Red may not arrive for a while, the game is already encircled in rumors and excitement. Though development has just been announced, predictions about the sequel to Cyberpunk 2077 are abound. While some details are confirmed, such as a new game engine and crafting system, others are more mysterious. This air of mystery has been breeding speculation about the upcoming sequel, codenamed Project Orion.

Cyberpunk has had a colorful history. The first trailer for Cyberpunk: 2077 was released in 2013; it took another 7 years before the game was finally released. Upon its release, the game suffered major technical difficulties, including glitches and crashes, before a series of updates made it reliably playable. Still, the game benefited from an incredibly rich world, adapted from a table-top RPG game from the late 1980s. Cyberpunk also got a boon from its gorgeously rendered graphics and customizable lead character. These strengths enabled Cyberpunk to experience one of the most successful sales releases ever, warts and all.

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The Known Details of Project Orion So Far

Following the release of Cyberpunk’s only DLC, Phantom Liberty, in September of last year, the appetite has grown for information about the next Cyberpunk game. One confirmed detail has to do with the engine.

Cyberpunk Game Engine Changed

Project Orion will run on Unreal Engine 5 as part of a partnership between Epic Games and CD Projekt Red. This will certainly impact the feel of the Cyberpunk sequel, and given the reliability of Unreal 5’s world partition and geometry tools, may even hasten the process of development. Project Orion will also be developed in the United States and Vancouver by the CD Projekt North America branch, as opposed to Poland, home to CDPR and the development of Cyberpunk 2077.

Adjustments from Cyberpunk 2077 Gameplay

Rumors and leaks suggest changes to Project Orion will include new gameplay elements. The introduction of a new crafting system is referenced in a recent job posting for the development of Orion by CDPR. While the Cyberpunk 2077 crafting system was part of what made its post-apocalyptic aesthetic so alluring, a wholly new crafting system could be a great way to show a totally different world in the Cyberpunk universe.

A CDPR job posting for Senior Cinematic Designer implies that Orion will feature non-interactive cutscenes alongside interactive dialogue scenes. This would be consistent with the importance of cutscenes in Cyberpunk2077 and Phantom Liberty, and implies that world-building and story will be just as important to Orion.

Orion will try to emulate the evolution of The Witcher, according to an interview with PC Gamer. In that interview, Narrative Director Igor Sarzyński claimed that there are areas for improvement for Orion that will enhance what’s already working in Cyberpunk, as was the progression in installments of The Witcher. For Orion, these elements include “character progression, NPC interactivity, and optimization.” These aspects seem poised to sharpen in Orion.

"Consider The Witcher games and how much they changed with each installment. We want a similar evolution here." -Project Orion narrative director Igor Sarzynski

Further Rumors about Project Orion

Other rumors are more shrouded in mystery. For example, Cyberpunk 2077 Quest Director Pawel Sasko stated during a recent shareholder meeting that it’s yet to be seen whether Project Orion will include a third-person mode. This would have a profound impact on the gameplay if enabled, and strike a distinctive tone from the previous versions of Cyberpunk.

Other gameplay changes are also rumored to be part of Orion. In an interview with Reuters, CDPR Joint CEO Adam Badowski claimed that the concept team was considering incorporating multiplayer elements into the Cyberpunk sequel. Regardless of what will be included in Project Orion, it’s clear that developers are seeking to improve upon the original while keeping the heart of Cyberpunk alive. Hopefully Orion experiences a smoother release than 2077, even if the release is a long way away.