If you’ve been eagerly waiting for Cyberpunk 2, you might want to settle in for the long haul. CD Projekt Red released its Q3 2025 financial report this week, and while the news about the Cyberpunk 2077 sequel’s progress is generally positive, the timeline confirms what many suspected. We won’t be exploring Night City’s successor until at least 2028, and realistically, it could be 2030 or even 2031 before the game launches.
The sequel, currently codenamed Project Orion, officially entered pre-production in May 2025. Right now, 135 developers are working on the game, and CDPR expects that number to grow significantly. By 2027, the team could expand to 400 people. That’s a massive increase, but it also signals just how much work remains ahead.
Why the Long Wait
CD Projekt co-CEO Michał Nowakowski addressed the timeline directly during the financial update. The company confirmed that Cyberpunk 2 will not release before 2028, meaning we’re still over two years away from even knowing a solid release window. But Nowakowski went further, suggesting the sequel might not arrive until late 2030 or early 2031.
The reason is straightforward. CD Projekt Red’s top priority right now is The Witcher 4, which was revealed at The Game Awards last year. Most of the studio’s resources are focused on that project, which explains why Cyberpunk 2 has a relatively small team at the moment. Once The Witcher 4 development progresses further or launches, more developers will shift to Project Orion.
Historically, CDPR games take four to five years from pre-production to launch. If Cyberpunk 2 entered pre-production in May 2025, a standard development cycle would place the release somewhere between 2029 and 2030. That assumes everything goes smoothly, which given the first game’s troubled launch, isn’t something anyone should take for granted.
What We Know About the Game
Details about Cyberpunk 2 remain scarce, but a few key pieces of information have emerged. Mike Pondsmith, the creator of the original Cyberpunk tabletop RPG that inspired the video game series, revealed that the sequel will feature a second city alongside or instead of Night City.
Key details about Cyberpunk 2:
- Setting inspired by Chicago, described by Pondsmith as a dystopian city where everything went wrong
- Built on Unreal Engine 5 instead of the proprietary REDengine used for Cyberpunk 2077
- Being developed in the United States, marking a shift from the primarily Poland-based development of the first game
- Will explore the Cyberpunk universe’s potential more deeply than the original
- Expected to release on PC and next-generation consoles, likely PlayStation 6 and whatever follows Xbox Series X/S
The Chicago setting is particularly interesting. While Night City was a futuristic metropolis with problems, Pondsmith describes the new location as fundamentally broken at a deeper level. Whether Night City will appear in the sequel remains unconfirmed, though rumors suggest it might show up in some capacity given how much fans love the location from the first game and the Edgerunners anime.
Learning From the Past
The extended timeline might actually be good news for fans who remember Cyberpunk 2077’s disastrous launch in December 2020. The game was announced in May 2012, creating an eight-year gap between reveal and release. That long development cycle combined with heavy marketing created unrealistic expectations the final product couldn’t meet.
CD Projekt Red faced massive backlash when Cyberpunk 2077 launched in a nearly unplayable state on older consoles. The company spent years fixing the game through patches and updates, eventually transforming it into the experience players expected from the beginning. The turnaround was so successful that Cyberpunk 2077 has now sold 35 million copies and is considered one of the best games of the modern era.
By being upfront about the lengthy development timeline for Cyberpunk 2, CDPR might be trying to manage expectations better this time. If the sequel was announced in 2022 and doesn’t launch until 2030 or 2031, that’s an eight or nine year gap. It matches the first game’s timeline but hopefully with better planning and less crunch on developers.
The Unreal Engine Switch
One major change for Cyberpunk 2 is the move to Unreal Engine 5. The original game was built on REDengine, CD Projekt’s proprietary technology that required specialized knowledge to work with. Switching to Unreal Engine 5 opens up several advantages.
Epic Games’ engine is industry-standard, meaning developers don’t need to learn custom tools from scratch. This could speed up development and make it easier to bring new talent onto the project. Unreal Engine 5 also offers cutting-edge graphics capabilities and tools that would take years and significant resources for CDPR to develop in-house.
The North American development location also makes sense in this context. Unreal Engine has widespread adoption in the United States, making it easier to build and manage a team there. It’s a strategic shift that could help avoid some of the technical challenges that plagued the first game’s development.
The Keanu Question
One lingering question fans keep asking is whether Keanu Reeves will return. Johnny Silverhand was one of Cyberpunk 2077’s most memorable elements, and Reeves’ performance received widespread praise. However, his character’s story concluded in the original game.
While nothing has been confirmed, Reeves has expressed interest in returning to the franchise in some capacity. Whether that means a cameo, flashbacks, or an entirely new role remains to be seen. Given how much fans loved the character and how successful the partnership was for both CDPR and Reeves’ career, finding a way to bring him back would make business sense even if it requires creative storytelling gymnastics.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will Cyberpunk 2 be released?
CD Projekt Red confirmed the game won’t release before 2028, with 2030 or 2031 being more realistic estimates. The game entered pre-production in May 2025, and typical CDPR development cycles take four to five years, putting the likely release window between 2029 and 2031.
What is Cyberpunk 2 called officially?
The game is currently codenamed Project Orion. CD Projekt internally refers to it as Cyberpunk 2 for simplicity, but that’s not the final title. The official name will likely be revealed closer to launch.
Will Cyberpunk 2 be on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X?
Probably not. Given the 2030-2031 release timeline, the game will likely be developed for next-generation consoles that follow the current PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. It will definitely be on PC.
How many people are working on Cyberpunk 2?
Currently, 135 developers are working on the project. CD Projekt Red expects that number to grow to approximately 400 developers by 2027 as The Witcher 4 development progresses and more resources shift to Project Orion.
Where is Cyberpunk 2 set?
The sequel will feature a new city inspired by Chicago, described by franchise creator Mike Pondsmith as a dystopian location where everything went wrong. Whether Night City will also appear in the game hasn’t been confirmed, though rumors suggest it might be included.
Will Johnny Silverhand return?
Nothing has been officially confirmed. Keanu Reeves has expressed interest in returning to the franchise, but his character’s story concluded in Cyberpunk 2077. If he appears, it would likely be in a different role or limited capacity rather than as a main character.
What engine is Cyberpunk 2 using?
The sequel is being built on Unreal Engine 5 instead of CD Projekt’s proprietary REDengine that powered the first game. This switch should make development easier and allow access to cutting-edge graphics technology without requiring years of custom engine development.
Can I still play Cyberpunk 2077?
Absolutely. Cyberpunk 2077 has been dramatically improved since launch and is now considered an excellent game. It’s available on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and will be coming to Nintendo Switch 2 in June 2025 as the Ultimate Edition.
How many copies has Cyberpunk 2077 sold?
As of November 2025, Cyberpunk 2077 has sold 35 million copies across all platforms. This includes the base game and the Ultimate Edition bundle, making it one of CD Projekt’s most successful releases despite the troubled launch.
Final Thoughts
The announcement that Cyberpunk 2 won’t arrive until at least 2028, and probably later, is disappointing for fans eager to return to the franchise’s dystopian future. But it might be exactly what the sequel needs. CD Projekt Red learned painful lessons from rushing Cyberpunk 2077 to market before it was ready. The years of criticism, refunds, and reputation damage that followed the 2020 launch showed that shipping an unfinished game creates more problems than delays ever could.
By being transparent about the lengthy development timeline from the start, CDPR is setting realistic expectations. The move to Unreal Engine 5, the expansion of the development team to 400 people by 2027, and the focus on building something ambitious with a new city all suggest the studio is taking its time to do things right this time. Yes, waiting five or six more years feels like forever. But if the alternative is another launch disaster followed by years of damage control, most fans would probably choose patience over rushing.
In the meantime, there’s plenty to keep Cyberpunk fans occupied. The first game continues to receive support and new players discovering it post-fixes. The Edgerunners anime proved the universe has storytelling potential beyond games. And CD Projekt has The Witcher 4 coming first, which should deliver another massive RPG experience while Cyberpunk 2 slowly takes shape in the background. The wait will be long, but if Project Orion delivers on its promise of exploring what happens when a city truly falls apart in a cyberpunk future, it might just be worth it.