CD Projekt Red Just Unleashed the Hype Train: Cyberpunk 2077’s Sequel, Project Orion, Hits the Development Phase with 12% of the Studio’s Crew Onboard—Gamers, Start Your Engines!

Buckle up, Night City fans—CD Projekt Red is officially cranking up the gears on the Cyberpunk 2077 sequel, codenamed Project Orion, and it’s now in full-on development mode! As of their latest 2024 financial report, 12% of CDPR’s workforce—around 84 badass developers—is grinding away on this next chapter of neon-soaked chaos. While the bulk of the studio (over 50%) is busy forging The Witcher 4, this news proves the Cyberpunk universe is far from done jacking into our gaming lives. With whispers of “the most realistic and reactive crowd system ever” and a promise to keep that gritty first-person vibe, Project Orion is shaping up to be a beast that could hit our screens by 2030. After the wild redemption arc of Cyberpunk 2077—30 million copies sold and counting—this sequel’s got big boots to fill, and CDPR’s betting big on their North American squad in Boston to make it a dystopian dream worth diving into. Get ready to plug in, chooms—the future’s looking electric!

CDPR’s redemption journey with Cyberpunk 2077 was tough and harsh, but it paid well for the developer. Cyberpunk 2077’s 2.0 version birthed one of the best RPGs to date, with the studio managing to change the public’s entire perception of the game.

With the studio moving on from the first game, they’re fully working on the sequel. CDPR’s financial report for 2024 has revealed that the sequel, “Project Orion,” is now in its development stages.

Why it matters: The development stages are a much later process in a video game’s development, which implies that CDPR may have something to show regarding Project Orion after Witcher 4’s release. Project Orion Is Now In Development Stages According To CDPR
Currently, 12% of the studio’s workforce is retained for the sequel, while 52% of employees are working on Witcher 4, which is speculated to be in its final stages of development.

After the release of Witcher 4, CDPR is expected to shift its entire focus on Project Orion.

Additionally, CDPR revealed that Cyberpunk 2077 has surpassed 30 million copies, with the DLC Phantom Liberty selling more than 8 million units. Cyberpunk 2077 Hitting Another Major Milestone || Source: CDPR
The financial report also reveals that 62% of the game’s playerbase was on PC, 26%  on PlayStation, and 12% on Xbox.

Moreover, CD Projekt Red’s net sales have declined by 20%, and operating profits are down by 22%. This could be due to the developer not releasing any project since Phantom Liberty.

Job postings revealed that the sequel will keep its first-person perspective and feature the most realistic and reactive NPC crowds to date. With such great results from the first entry and its DLC, the sequel looks ambitious and highly awaited.