Mike Pondsmith Unveils Orion's Night City & Chicago Metro

The highly anticipated Cyberpunk 2077 sequel, Project Orion, remains shrouded in secrecy—but creator Mike Pondsmith recently dropped intriguing hints about undisclosed features.

During Digital Dragons 2025, Pondsmith—who collaborated extensively with CD Projekt on the 30-million-selling original and promoted its 2020 release—was questioned about his involvement in the sequel. He confirmed contributing script reviews and visiting CD Projekt’s studios to evaluate progress.

"Last week I explored different departments," Pondsmith recalled. "They'd show me prototypes—'Check out this new cyberware—thoughts?' I'd respond, 'Solid design, fits perfectly here.'"

Most notably, Pondsmith revealed Orion introduces a major new metropolis alongside Night City—describing it as "Chicago’s dystopian twin." He emphasized: "Night City remains, but we're visiting another location. The environment team nailed this gritty, distinct vibe—not Blade Runner-esque, but a corrupted Chicago aesthetic."

Clarifying speculation, Pondsmith’s remarks suggest thematic inspiration rather than literal Chicago recreation—whether portraying futuristic Chicago remains unconfirmed.

Debates continue whether Orion will expand Cyberpunk 2077’s Night City or rebuild it entirely—with rumors of two fully explorable urban centers gaining traction.

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While The Witcher 4 dominates CD Projekt’s current priorities, their Boston studio actively develops Project Orion—currently employing 84 of their 707-person team during conceptual stages. Significant evolution remains likely before release.

Following Cyberpunk: Edgerunners’ success, Netflix pursues another animated adaptation. Meanwhile, Cyberpunk 2077 prepares for Nintendo Switch 2 launch.