Cyberpunk 2077 sequel to feature mysterious second city: ‘Chicago Gone Wrong’ soon

CD Projekt Red is working on Cyberpunk 2077’s sequel, Project Orion, which will introduce a second city alongside Night City for players to explore.

CD Projekt Red is developing a sequel to Cyberpunk 2077 under the codename Project Orion. Since its announcement in 2022, the studio has shared limited information about the game. Recently, Mike Pondsmith, the creator of the original Cyberpunk tabletop RPG that inspired the video game, revealed new details about the sequel, including the addition of a second city alongside Night City.

CD Projekt Red’s Cyberpunk 2077 sequel will include a second city alongside the returning Night City. (Playstation)

By MD Ijaj Khan

Ijaj Khan is a technology journalist and Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times, with over three years of experience covering the consumer technology industry. His work spans smartphones, laptops, wearables, gaming, appliances and AI - from hands-on reviews, comparison and buying guides to breaking news and in-depth features that help readers cut through the noise and make informed decisions. Before joining HT Tech, he worked with Jagran New Media, where he sharpened his instincts for fast-paced digital reporting. He holds a Post Graduate Diploma in English Journalism and Mass Communication from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Delhi. Whether he's testing the latest flagship smartphone, tracking a major AI announcement, or putting a gaming laptop through its paces, Ijaj approaches every story with the same goal - making technology feel relevant and easy to understand for everyday users, not just enthusiasts. When he's not in front of a screen for work, he's usually travelling to a new city, hunting for great food, or keeping tabs on what's next in tech before everyone else catches on.

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In an interview with Polish media outlet TVGRY at the Digital Dragons Conference, Pondsmith explained that while he is not as closely involved in the sequel as he was in the original game, he has reviewed some of the new scripts. He also spent time discussing the development with various departments, examining new cyberware and other game elements.

Project Orion

Pondsmith confirmed that Project Orion will introduce a second city that players will visit, expanding the game's setting beyond Night City. Although he did not provide specific details about the new location, he described its atmosphere as “Chicago gone wrong,” distinguishing it from the Blade Runner-inspired feel of Night City. He stated, “I remember looking at it and going, 'Yeah, I understand the feel that you're going for, and this really does work.'”

New City Added to the Game

Night City will still be part of the game, maintaining continuity with the original Cyberpunk 2077. The introduction of a second city suggests Project Orion will offer a larger and more complex world compared to its predecessor. This expansion follows the first game’s growth, which included a new district called Dogtown in the Phantom Liberty expansion.

Since the first reveal of Project Orion, CD Projekt Red has kept further details under wraps. The studio previously stated that the sequel aims to push the Cyberpunk franchise forward and explore the potential of its dystopian universe more deeply.

Additional information about the game surfaced earlier this year when CD Projekt Red’s Boston studio, leading the development of the sequel, advertised an open role describing the game’s crowd system as “the most realistic and reactive crowd system in any game to date.”

Project Orion is being built using Epic Games’ Unreal Engine 5 and is expected to release on PC and current-generation consoles. However, CD Projekt Red has not announced a release date, and the game remains several years away from launch.

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