CD Projekt Red wants Cyberpunk 2077's sequel, codenamed Orion, to undergo a similar evolution to that of The Witcher franchise.
17.10.2023 - 15:17 / gamesradar.com
Cyberpunk 2077 has reinvented itself following the release of numerous updates and the stellar Phantom Liberty expansion, but the big lessons learned from its rough 2020 launch are still front of mind for developer CD Projeckt Red. With current development happening on The Witcher 4 - codenamed Polaris - the developers are taking steps to ensure they won't have another troubled launch.
In an interview with Inven Global, CD Projeckt Red engineering director Colin Walder spoke about the poor launch of Cyberpunk 2077, how that impacted the staff, and how they've overhauled their development process going forward. In this development chat, Walder spoke about the changes to workflow for CDPR, and that "it's about ensuring we're on top of certain things from the start."
"Take consoles, for example; we need to make sure they're functioning from the get-go," said Walder. "For our next project, Polaris, we're already running our demos and internal reviews on the console from the very beginning. This is a step we only took later in Cyberpunk's development."
At launch, Cyberpunk 2077 was plagued with bugs and other quirks across all platforms, but Xbox and PlayStation versions were hit the hardest. So much so that Cyberpunk 2077 was pulled from the PlayStation Network digital marketplace, with Sony offering user refunds - an unprecedented move for such a significant game release. It took over six months for the game to return to PSN, but it was still mired with issues.
Cyberpunk 2077 recently saw the release of the 2.0 overhaul update and the Phantom Liberty expansion, which have effectively reinvented the game and fulfilled the promise of its original vision. Despite the setbacks, Cyberpunk has become a massive success for CD Projekt Red, and now, the developer is working on the next Witcher game, along with the next Cyberpunk game - the latter of which is being developed by the newly established US studio based in Boston.
For more on Cyberpunk 2077, check out our Phantom Liberty review, and how it was the "the culmination of CD Projekt Red's efforts."
CD Projekt Red wants Cyberpunk 2077's sequel, codenamed Orion, to undergo a similar evolution to that of The Witcher franchise.
With Cyberpunk 2077's only expansion, Phantom Liberty, now firmly in the rearview, CD Projekt RED is free to look to the future. There's the new The Witcher trilogy, of course, but also the Cyberpunk 2077 sequel codenamed Project Orion.
's sequel is a long way off, but the codename that CD Projekt Red is using for it may be hiding some clues as to what the plot of the next game will focus on. The recently released expansion DLC to was the last major content addition to the current game, and a sequel to the RPG is in the early stages of design. Currently referred to as, the upcoming game doesn't have much else revealed yet, beyond that it is a sequel.
Konami has fixed one of the more glaring issues with the Master Collection version of Metal Gear Solid 1. When the game hit Steam three days ago, players were supposed to be able to download different language packs—Japanese, US English and what-have-you—via the game's launcher. Unfortunately, the relevant Steam pages were inexplicably AWOL, making international versions of the game inaccessible.
Part of me would love a VR headset, but the rest of me lives in a flat, which means I'm usually thankful that most VR game trailers don't do much for me. Besides Half-Life: Alyx and Superhot, there aren't many games that have me wishing I had an Index or Quest.
Video game analyst group Circana has released its September 2023 U.S. video game market highlights and in it, the company reveals that developer Bethesda Game Studios' Starfield was the best-selling game last month, which is the month it launched. And after just six weeks on the market, Starfield is already the seventh best-selling game of the year. February's Hogwarts Legacy remains in the top spot.
's DLCgreatly expands on the base game's original map, including a variety of new hidden locations. adds a whole section to 's map: the lawless district of Dogtown. Once a planned, private resort getaway for Night City's well-to-do luminaries, Dogtown soon fell under the control of Kurt Hansen and his iron-fisted Barghest paramilitary gang. By the time V arrives, high rises and luxury shops are in total disarray, and anyone who isn't part of Barghest's rank and file is forced to live in fear. Their hidden stashes and abandoned apartments make up some of the DLC's most fascinating areas.
CD Projekt Red used AI to replace the voice actor Miłogost Reczek in Cyberpunk 2077 following his passing in 2021.
If you've ever spoken to the ripperdoc character Viktor Vektor in the Polish localisation of Cyberpunk 2077's Phantom Liberty expansion, you've been talking to a cyborg. Technically, of course, most characters in Cyberpunk 2077 are cyborgs, but in this case, I'm referring to one voice actor posing as another using voice-cloning technology, following the second actor's death.
Cyberpunk 2077 publisher and developer CD Projekt used AI to recreate the voice of a deceased actor.
Cyberpunk 2077 developer CD Projekt used AI to replace a deceased voice actor after gaining permission from the family.
The Witcher's Netflix show is reportedly "very likely" to end after series five, meaning we'll only see Liam Hemsworth as Geralt of Rivia for two seasons.