cyberpunk 2077 sequel: cd projekt aims for bold social issues

CD Projekt Red, the developers behind Cyberpunk 2077, are aiming to push the boundaries of social commentary in their upcoming sequel, codenamed Project Orion. In a recent podcast, associate game director Paweł Sasko and executive producer Dan Hernberg discussed how Cyberpunk 2077 only scratched the surface of addressing social issues. They expressed a desire to delve deeper into themes such as the homeless crisis, exploitation by megacorporations, and the widening wealth gap. The team is focused on making the dystopian future of Cyberpunk more relevant to contemporary social issues, while also improving gameplay and features. Hernberg, hired in March and a veteran from Amazon Games and Blizzard Entertainment, aims to align Project Orion with the evolutionary strides seen in The Witcher series. There's also speculation about the inclusion of a multiplayer feature that was scrapped from Cyberpunk 2077.

CD Projekt Red aims to explore deeper themes such as the homeless crisis, exploitation by megacorporations, and the growing wealth gap in their upcoming sequel, Project Orion.

Cyberpunk 2077, originally released in December 2020, has had a tumultuous history. Although it was highly anticipated, its launch was marred by numerous bugs and performance issues, especially on older consoles. Despite the rocky start, CD Projekt Red has released several patches and updates, including the well-received Phantom Liberty DLC, which helped elevate the game’s reputation. The setting of Cyberpunk 2077 is a dystopian future where advanced technology coexists with extreme societal decay, providing a rich backdrop for exploring various social issues. The developers’ new focus suggests that Project Orion will continue to build on this complex world while enhancing gameplay and storytelling elements.