Cyberpunk 2 Officially Enters Pre-Production And Devs Reveal A New City That Feels Like ‘Chicago Gone Wrong’

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Summary

  • CD Projekt Red confirms Cyberpunk 2 in pre-production, team growing to 96 developers.
  • Cyberpunk creator Pondsmith hints at new location: “Chicago gone wrong.”
  • Pre-production underway with CD Projekt having a clear vision for Cyberpunk

CD Projekt Red has verified that the production phase for Cyberpunk 2 is underway and the development team is expanding. Although The Witcher 4 continues to be the main project for CD Projekt’s 730 developers, they have expanded the team working on Cyberpunk 2 from 84 to 96 individuals.

At the Digital Dragons 2025 Conference, Mike Pondsmith, the creator of Cyberpunk, shared that he has stopped by CD Projekt and stayed informed about the progress of Cyberpunk 2, but he’s not as deeply involved in the project as he was with Cyberpunk 2077. During a chat with the developers, Pondsmith hinted at some details, referring to a new setting as “a corrupted version of Chicago“.

More Developers Join The Cyberpunk 2 Team

(via IGN.com)

In addition to the current city, let me hint at a secret, we also explore another urban destination.” [Said by Pondsmith (at Digital Dragons)]

In a discussion with CD Projekt developers about Cyberpunk 2, previously known as Orion, Mike Pondsmith shared that he appreciated the atmosphere they were aiming for and found it distinct from Blade Runner. Instead, he described it as if Chicago had fallen into disarray. (Source: IGN.com)

Before the actual production begins, tasks like creating prototypes, brainstorming concepts, and outlining a production plan take place. However, it seems that CD Projekt Red has already set a clear path for the game’s overall direction. Developers are not only working on an entirely new city to traverse, but George Pondsmith also confirmed that Night City will continue to exist within the game.

CD Projekt RED revealed that the preliminary work for a new project, dubbed as Project Orion, related to Cyberpunk 2077’s expansion pack named Phantom Liberty, had moved forward into its pre-production phase. This announcement was made following CD Projekt’s recent disclosure of their financial results, where they reported that the Phantom Liberty expansion had sold an impressive 10 million copies. (Source: IGN.com)

Despite experiencing one of the rockiest launches in video game history, Cyberpunk 2077 quickly won over fans with its captivating and engaging gameplay.

The game has bounced back impressively after a disastrous debut. In an ideal world, CD Projekt RED would take note of its past errors and strive for a better balance between ambition and execution when creating the sequel, ensuring that they deliver on their promises. – Jake Valentine, TopMob.

Fans can look forward to pre-production confirmation and some tantalizing tidbits about a new “Chicago turned upside down” setting, as they delve into Cyberpunk 2077 when it launches on the rumored Nintendo Switch 2 on June 5th.

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2025-05-28 22:09