CD Projekt putting hundreds of developers on Cyberpunk 2077 sequel

CD Projekt Red are clearly hoping to bank on Cyberpunk 2077’s comeback success. Earlier this week, they surprised us all by announcing a sequel, codenamed ‘Project Orion’. It’s no secret that Cyberpunk 2077 launched as a glitch-ridden mess that was later saved by a major new-gen patch, which is a fact that has fans all saying the same thing.

It’s not just the new-gen patch that got us here. Netflix’s Cyberpunk: Edgerunners has also seen the popularity of the game skyrocket. In fact, Cyberpunk 2077’s concurrent player count recently surpassed the all-time peak of The Witcher 3. The Phantom Liberty DLC may be on the way, but it’s full steam ahead of ‘Project Orion’ as CDPR are putting hundreds of developers onto the sequel.

Check out the trailer for the upcoming Phantom Liberty DLC below which is set to launch in 2023.

As reported by IGN, CDPR vice president and CFO Piotr Nielubowicz told investors that he expected between 350 and 500 developers would be needed to create the Cyberpunk 2077 sequel. Previously, CDPR confirmed that these developers would be hired at a brand new North American studio. 

In a press release, Nielubowicz said, “We’re setting up a new team in Boston, which, together with the expanding Vancouver team, will form our new studio - CD Projekt Red North America. As a result, we will be able to fully tap into the North American talent pool."

It’s also looking like ‘Project Orion’ will be developed in Unreal Engine 5. Whilst CDPR haven’t specifically commented on using UE5 in relation to the Cyberpunk franchise, they did confirm, “This is an exciting moment as we’re moving from REDengine to Unreal Engine 5, beginning a multi-year strategic partnership with Epic Games.” By now, we all know what UE5 is capable of so we’re expecting big things.