Latest news with #MikePondsmith
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Cyperpunk 2 goes beyond Night City to a new location that "feels more like Chicago gone wrong," according to the creator of the original tabletop RPG
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Cyberpunk 2 – currently only officially known by the codename Project Orion – was officially announced way back in 2022, but the devs at CD Projekt Red have spent the past few years being pretty reticent to reveal any details about the new game. But Mike Pondsmith, creator of the original tabletop RPG that the games are based on, has just let slip a few new details on Project Orion's setting. During an interview presented at the Digital Dragons conference earlier today, Pondsmith said he's "not as involved directly" with Project Orion has he was with Cyberpunk 2077, but also that he recently visited the devs at CDPR. "I was wandering around talking to different departments and seeing what they had," Pondsmith explained, offering his opinions on features like new cyberware. "I spent a lot of time talking to one of the environment guys," Pondsmith continued. "He was explaining how the new place in Orion, because there's another city we visit – I'm not telling you any more than that, but there's another city we visit." You can see this moment for yourself at the 3:45:47 mark in the video above, and the brief hesitation Pondsmith has really makes it feel like he's revealed a bit more about the game than he was supposed to. Nonetheless, he went on to give us a few more details. "Night City's still there," Pondsmith said. "But I remember looking at and going 'yeah, I understand the feel that you're going for in this, and this really does work.' It doesn't feel like Blade Runner. It feels more like Chicago gone wrong. I said 'yeah, I can see this working.'" Rumors and fan theories have persisted for years that the Cyberpunk sequel might go to Chicago, but it now seems certain that even if the game doesn't go to the Windy City itself, it is going someplace very similar. Here are all the upcoming CD Projekt Red games you need to know about.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Cyberpunk 2 has entered pre-production, as The Witcher 3 leaps above Super Mario Bros to sell 60 million copies
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The Cyberpunk 2077 sequel has officially entered its pre-production phase, according to CD Projekt Red. In a new investor relations presentation, one slide simply reads that "Cyberpunk 2 has entered pre-production phase." More information is likely to be available as part of the overall presentation, but for now these slides do offer some interesting information to pick over. Chief among that is the fact that, externally at least, CDPR is still referring to the game - previously referred to as Project Orion – as Cyberpunk 2. That's likely to prevent giving away too much information about its setting. While original Cyberpunk author Mike Pondsmith did recently reveal that the new game would be set in a second location after Night City, the developers are yet to attach anything like the original's naming convention to the project. A sequel to Cyberpunk 2077 conjures images of Cyberpunk 2078, but as soon as we know if that's the case, players can start making guesses about the narrative – if there's no date, there are no theories to be drawn up. Importantly, pre-production also doesn't give us much information about the timeline for the game. We do know that The Witcher 4 - CDPR's next game - is in full production, and the studio has offered hints about its timeline for the new Witcher saga over the past couple of years. But pre-production is a very different beast to full production – it's often a period of ideation and trial-and-error, rather than actually building the final project, and it can often last for years. We do know that CD Projekt Red has built a new, US-based studio to make Cyberpunk 2, so it won't interfere with The Witcher 4 too much, but it's still anyone's guess as to how long we could be waiting. Speaking of The Witcher, the studio has unveiled new sales figures for The Witcher 3, confirming that it's now shifted 60 million copies. That jump puts it further up the list of the best-selling games of all time, clear of Overwatch and even Super Mario Bros. Given the recent celebration of the game's tenth anniversary, it's likely that CD Projekt is very happy with the timing of that particular milestone. "Even people in the studio had problems" with Cyberpunk 2077's most uncomfortable quest, but CDPR stood by it because "we don't do heavy things for the sake of edginess."
Hypebeast
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hypebeast
CD Projekt Red To Expand the ‘Cyberpunk' Universe With ‘Project Orion' Game
Summary CD Projekt Red's highly anticipated sequel toCyberpunk 2077, codenamedProject Orion, is currently in development. Specific details about the game remain limited, but recent insights have emerged from Mike Pondsmith, the original creator of theCyberpunktabletop RPG. In an interview with Polish gaming channeltvgryat the Digital Dragons Conference, Pondsmith revealed thatProject Orionwill introduce a second major city. He characterized this new setting as 'Chicago gone wrong,' presenting a significant stylistic contrast to the vibrant, neon-lit andBlade Runner-inspired aesthetic of Night City. Although Pondsmith is less directly involved inProject Orioncompared to its predecessor, he confirmed that he has reviewed scripts and visited the development studio to provide feedback. He noted that the new city will have a distinct atmosphere, diverging from Night City's cyberpunk noir feel. While he refrained from confirming whether the setting is literally Chicago, fans have speculated that the game may incorporate in-universe lore referencing Chicago's economic collapse, corporate wars and bio-plague — elements that align with the gritty, dystopian themes of the franchise. Project Orionis being developed by CD Projekt Red's Boston and Vancouver studios, with the goal of pushing theCyberpunkfranchise forward. While CD Projekt Red has not yet announced a definitive release date forProject Orion, the studio has hinted at crucial technical details. The game is expected to be built using Unreal Engine 5, promising enhanced visuals and immersive gameplay.
Hindustan Times
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Cyberpunk 2077 sequel to feature mysterious second city: ‘Chicago Gone Wrong' soon
CD Projekt Red is developing a sequel to Cyberpunk 2077 under the codename Project Orion. Since its announcement in 2022, the studio has shared limited information about the game. Recently, Mike Pondsmith, the creator of the original Cyberpunk tabletop RPG that inspired the video game, revealed new details about the sequel, including the addition of a second city alongside Night City. In an interview with Polish media outlet TVGRY at the Digital Dragons Conference, Pondsmith explained that while he is not as closely involved in the sequel as he was in the original game, he has reviewed some of the new scripts. He also spent time discussing the development with various departments, examining new cyberware and other game elements. Also read: BGMI redeem codes for May 21: Grab free skins, rewards, and check how to claim now Pondsmith confirmed that Project Orion will introduce a second city that players will visit, expanding the game's setting beyond Night City. Although he did not provide specific details about the new location, he described its atmosphere as 'Chicago gone wrong,' distinguishing it from the Blade Runner-inspired feel of Night City. He stated, 'I remember looking at it and going, 'Yeah, I understand the feel that you're going for, and this really does work.'' Night City will still be part of the game, maintaining continuity with the original Cyberpunk 2077. The introduction of a second city suggests Project Orion will offer a larger and more complex world compared to its predecessor. This expansion follows the first game's growth, which included a new district called Dogtown in the Phantom Liberty expansion. Also read: Mafia: The Old Country releasing on 8 August, 2025: Here's everything you need to know Since the first reveal of Project Orion, CD Projekt Red has kept further details under wraps. The studio previously stated that the sequel aims to push the Cyberpunk franchise forward and explore the potential of its dystopian universe more deeply. Additional information about the game surfaced earlier this year when CD Projekt Red's Boston studio, leading the development of the sequel, advertised an open role describing the game's crowd system as 'the most realistic and reactive crowd system in any game to date.' Also read: Apple Arcade to add UNO: Arcade edition, What the Car? and more in June game lineup Project Orion is being built using Epic Games' Unreal Engine 5 and is expected to release on PC and current-generation consoles. However, CD Projekt Red has not announced a release date, and the game remains several years away from launch.
Forbes
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
It's Confirmed The ‘Cyberpunk 2077' Sequel Will Explore Chicago, Sort Of
Cyberpunk 2077 I have wondered how Cyberpunk 2077's sequel would work if we've already explored essentially all of Night City and its surrounding areas. Turns out there's an intriguing answer for that. Speaking at Digital Dragons in Poland, CDPR's Mike Pondsmith addressed the question. Turns out that Cyberpunk 2078 (I'm just going to start calling it this) will have two cities, Night City and a second one that is 'a new city inspired by a dystopian Chicago.' 'There is one more city which we are visiting – Night City is still there,' Pondsmith said. 'I remember how I looked at it and thought 'yes, I understand the climate you're going towards and it realistically works; you can't feel Blade Runner, it's more like Chicago, which went the wrong direction.' This is interesting as it's unclear if this is a city 'inspired' by Chicago or if it's…literally Chicago in the universe. My guess is the former for a few reasons. Cyberpunk 2077 First of all, Chicago itself exists in the Cyberpunk 2077 universe. Effectively all real-world cities do. Night City is its own thing, but the game references LA, Vegas, DC, Denver, and yes, Chicago. The second reason is how Chicago is referenced in the game. Lore you may have missed indicates that Chicago is dealing with a 'bioplague' that quarantined the city which has become lawless and cut off from the world after its mass contamination from a weaponized biological weapon test. It is also dealing with destroyed technical interfaces like the Net. FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder I mean, that sounds like exactly the sort of dystopia that Pondsmith is referencing here. Maybe that has some sort of other, Cyberpunk-ish name for the city after all, but a walled-off, contaminated, lawless city sounds like a great contrast to Night City where yes, it's filled with crime, but as Pondsmith says, it's more Blade Runner-esque, run by corpos. This sounds…amazing? Cyberpunk 2077 is my favorite game of all time (no exaggeration), and this seems like it would solve the 'return only to Night City' problem that I was worried about and introduce an entirely different dynamic to the game and world that we haven't seen before (though perhaps a bit like Dogtown). I hope we don't have to deal with 'contamination zones' with poison gas that require oxygen-depleting masks or something, as I find that mechanic pretty annoying (looking at you, The Division), but whatever it is, I'm sure it will be great. You know, provided it launches well… Follow me on Twitter, YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram. Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.
