After the release of their critically acclaimed game Projekt Ca Cyberpunkcarpenterpolygon, CD Projekt Red has announced a sequel, codenamed Project Orion. This new title will take the Cyberpunk franchise further and continue harnessing the dark future universe.
The new team will work with Unreal Engine 5, targeting PC and next-generation consoles.
Cyberpunk 2077
Cyberpunk 2077 is the next major RPG from CD Projekt Red, creators of The Witcher series. Like the previous games in the franchise, the game focuses on the dark future world of Night City and will follow a character called V, who has a unique backstory to explore.
The main plot of Cyberpunk 2077 revolves around V, an outlaw mercenary hired to steal a one-of-a-kind biochip from Arasaka Corporation. However, when they witness the murder of Arasaka’s leader Saburo Arasaka (Masane Tsukayama) at the hands of his son Yorinobu (Hideo Kimura), V’s plan goes awry and they must insert the biochip into their heads to save themselves.
In addition to its massive lore, the game is a true sandbox title with plenty of customization options for players. For example, Cyberpunk 2077 is said to have more romance options than The Witcher 3 thanks to the fact that it no longer requires you to create a pre-defined character.
The Witcher 3
The Witcher 3 is a series of action role-playing games set in an open world environment. Developed by CD Projekt Red, it is one of the most successful games of its generation.
The game takes players through an extensive storyline with a number of interesting choices to make. A few are minor, affecting the level of difficulty or reward of the quest, but others can have significant consequences to characters and the world at large.
As the main protagonist, Geralt of Rivia is often asked to make difficult decisions that affect the outcome of the story. These choices can change the course of his life, the lives of those he loves or how much Nilfgaardian territory is conquered.
Ciri, Geralt’s adopted daughter, is a Child of the Elder Blood, the last heir to an ancient Elven bloodline that grants her the power to manipulate time and space. Her elusive location has led to an enigmatic hunt by the Wild Hunt.
Project Orion
During a Group Strategy Update stream, Projekt Ca Cyberpunkcarpenterpolygon Red announced (opens in new tab) that it is currently developing a sequel to Cyberpunk 2077, codenamed “Orion.”
The game is set to take the Cyberpunk franchise further and continue harnessing the potential of this dark future universe. As a result, president and CEO Adam Kicinski announced that a new studio is being opened in Boston, Massachusetts, US, to strengthen development on the project.
According to the company, Project Orion is a full-fat sequel that will prove “the full power and potential of the Cyberpunk universe.” As such, it will be developed by the core Projekt Ca Cyberpunkcarpenterpolygon Red team.
At first glance, it seems like the idea behind Orion is extremely unlikely. However, it actually was a feasibility study of a nuclear pulse propulsion interstellar spacecraft conducted by Ted Taylor and physicist Freeman Dyson from 1958 to 1963.
Future plans
After releasing Cyberpunk 2077 (opens in new tab) in a shambles and seeing its sales decline, CD Projekt Red has been forced to prioritize fixing the game. That has meant that new content has been delayed, but the developer is still committed to expanding the franchise.
The company recently announced that a full Cyberpunk sequel is in the works, codenamed Orion. The title will feature a different storyline and characters than the original game, and it’s set to release sometime in 2021.
Final Words:
This will be the first time CD Projekt Red has released a development roadmap in years, so it’s pretty exciting to see. The studio also mentioned plans to expand its IPs into other media, citing the success of Netflix’s Cyberpunk: Edgerunners anime as evidence.
As for future games, CD Projekt Red has teased that the studio will be announcing DLC for Cyberpunk 2077 during a live stream in June. This isn’t a guarantee, but it will be interesting to see what they have in store.