The Cyberpunk 2077 sequel codenamed Project Orion "probably" won't even enter pre-production in 2023, as developer CD Projekt Red explained in its latest financial call.
The timeline on the sequel comes up a few times throughout the call. One key point, as CFO Piotr Nielubowicz put it, is that "after launching [Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty] we'll accelerate the work on the Orion project done by the new Boston studio."
CEO Adam Kiciński reiterated this later in the call in response to a question about when the Cyberpunk sequel will start pre-production. "After releasing Phantom Liberty we will start working on the next Cyberpunk game," he clarified.
The waters get a bit muddy as Kiciński delves into two ways of describing game development: "our common language in development and the formal language linked to how we allocate costs." To put it plainly, the Cyberpunk sequel is only scheduled for research and conceptual work next year – done by "a smaller team than what's now working on Phantom Liberty, as some developers will join [The Witcher 4] Polaris and help with its development," Kiciński noted.
Speaking formally, Kiciński added, pre-production comes after this conceptual phase and is really the "first part of development." For the Cyberpunk sequel, this "probably won't start next year," he affirmed, again adding that "of course, we'll start working on the game in the conceptual phase next year."
So what does all that mean? Well, it means the Cyberpunk sequel is still just a tiny little seed right now, and CD Projekt Red probably won't even put that seed in the ground until 2024, which ought to be when more active development starts. It also reinforces that this game is years and years away and was announced exceedingly early, in case there was ever any doubt.
Also in case there was any doubt: Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty will be a paid expansion.
