"Project Orion: Night City and a 'Chicago Gone Wrong' Unveiled by Mike Pondsmith"

CD Projekt's highly anticipated sequel to Cyberpunk 2077, codenamed Project Orion, remains shrouded in mystery, but Cyberpunk creator Mike Pondsmith recently dropped some intriguing hints about the project. Pondsmith, who played a significant role in the development and promotion of the original game, which sold over 30 million copies, shared insights at the Digital Dragons 2025 conference.

Although Pondsmith mentioned he is less involved in Project Orion compared to Cyberpunk 2077, he still reviews scripts and visits CD Projekt to provide feedback on the ongoing work. During his latest visit, he engaged with various departments and offered his thoughts on new elements, such as cyberware.

The most tantalizing detail Pondsmith revealed is that Project Orion will feature a new city alongside the familiar Night City. He described this new metropolis as "like Chicago gone wrong," suggesting a dystopian atmosphere distinct from the Blade Runner-esque feel of Night City. However, it's important to clarify that Pondsmith's comments imply a city with a Chicago-like ambiance rather than a literal future Chicago.

Speculation abounds regarding whether the sequel will expand upon the existing Night City or introduce a new version, and how much of these cities will be playable. While many details remain unknown, it seems Project Orion might offer two fully developed cities for players to explore.

Every CD Projekt Red Game In Development

View 8 ImagesCurrently, CD Projekt's primary focus is on The Witcher 4, but they have established a new studio in Boston dedicated to Project Orion. Earlier this year, it was reported that 84 out of CD Projekt's 707 employees are working on Project Orion, which is still in the concept phase. Given this stage of development, fans should not expect the game to be released anytime soon.

In addition to Project Orion, CD Projekt is expanding the Cyberpunk universe with a new animation project on Netflix, following the success of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. In the near future, Cyberpunk 2077 is also slated to launch on the Nintendo Switch 2.