Cyberpunk 2077 Sequel Will Leave Night City—Dev Teases “Chicago Gone Wrong”

CD Projekt Red’s long-awaited Cyberpunk 2077 sequel—codenamed Project Orion—just got a surprising update, and it didn’t come from the studio itself. Instead, the scoop came straight from Cyberpunk creator Mike Pondsmith, who teased that players will finally explore a new, second city in the next game—one that he described as “Chicago gone wrong.”

The news dropped during Pondsmith’s appearance at Digital Dragons 2025, one of Europe’s top gaming industry events. Speaking to TVGry (via CD Action), Pondsmith revealed that he recently visited CD Projekt to review development progress, including early script drafts and concept art for Orion.

“I spent a lot of time talking to one of the environment guys... and he was explaining how the new place in Orion—because there’s another city we visit—feels more like Chicago gone wrong. I said, ‘Yeah, I can see this working.’”

Pondsmith also clarified that Night City isn’t going anywhere, and will still be part of the game in some form. But the addition of another major urban setting—especially one described as a grittier, dystopian Chicago—suggests that Project Orion could feature two fully explorable cities, a major step up from Cyberpunk 2077’s single-city scope.

Rumors of “Cyber-Chicago” Already in the Air

Fans have long speculated that Project Orion might take the series beyond California. Posters inside Cyberpunk 2077 already hinted at ultra-fast rail travel between Night City and Chicago, promising a sub-three-hour trip by 2080. Since Orion is likely set in that decade or later, many believe the sequel will explore a larger world with multiple hubs.

Pondsmith’s comment doesn’t explicitly confirm the new city is Chicago—only that it feels like a dystopian version of it.

Project Orion in Making

Project Orion is still in the concept phase, with development led by CD Projekt’s Boston studio. As of early 2025, around 84 developers are assigned to the project, with most of CD Projekt’s resources currently focused on The Witcher 4. 

The sequel will retain the first-person RPG format, but promises improved crowd systems, expanded narrative depth, and now—confirmed—new locations.

There’s no release date, and likely won’t be one for years. Some projections peg Orion for 2028 or beyond.

CDPR’s Cyberpunk Universe Keeps Growing

Alongside the sequel, CD Projekt is doubling down on the Cyberpunk brand:

• A new Netflix animated series is in production, following the success of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners.

• Cyberpunk 2077 is being ported to the Nintendo Switch 2, with DLSS support.

The Digital Dragons conference, where Pondsmith made these revelations, was held from May 18 to 20 at the ICE Krakow Congress Center.