Mike Pondsmith Hints at Orion's Night City & Dystopian Chicago

CD Projekt's highly anticipated Cyberpunk 2077 sequel, currently known as Project Orion, remains shrouded in mystery. However, Cyberpunk creator Mike Pondsmith recently dropped some intriguing hints about what players can expect.

Pondsmith, who collaborated closely with CD Projekt on the 30 million-selling Cyberpunk 2077, revealed his current involvement level during the Digital Dragons 2025 conference. While not as deeply embedded in this project, he's still reviewing scripts and recently visited CD Projekt's offices to see their progress.

"Last week I was checking out different departments," Pondsmith shared, "They'd show me things like new cyberware designs and ask 'What do you think?' I'd give my honest feedback - 'Yeah, that looks great for this context.'"

The most exciting revelation? Project Orion will introduce a brand new urban landscape alongside Night City. Pondsmith described this undisclosed metropolis as having "a real 'Chicago gone bad' vibe." He elaborated after talking with environmental designers: "There's another city we visit - I won't say more than that - but it creates a completely different atmosphere than Night City. It doesn't feel like Blade Runner; it's more like a dystopian Chicago scenario."

Important clarification: Pondsmith wasn't necessarily confirming an actual futuristic Chicago setting, but rather establishing the aesthetic tone this new location will evoke. Exactly how these two cities will function within the game's universe remains uncertain.

Speculation continues regarding Night City's role - whether we'll see an expanded version or a radically transformed incarnation. The possibility of two fully-realized, explorable cities has certainly sparked excitement among fans.

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While The Witcher 4 currently commands most of CD Projekt's attention, the company recently established a Boston studio specifically for Project Orion. Recent reports indicate 84 of their 707 staff members are allocated to Orion's development, which remains in conceptual stages. Given the early phase, significant changes could still occur before release.

The Cyberpunk universe continues expanding beyond video games, with another Netflix animated project in the works following Cyberpunk: Edgerunners' success. More imminently, Cyberpunk 2077 is reportedly coming to Nintendo's next-generation console.