Summary
Now that the dust has settled aroundCyberpunk 2077’s recentPhantom Libertystory expansion, fans can finally look towards what is planned to come next for the franchise. While it is true that a lot of CD Projekt Red’s attention will shift towardsThe Witcherfranchise throughout the near future, the studio has already confirmed that a sequel to2077is already in the works.
As reported in late 2022, the sequel toCyberpunk 2077is currently codenamedProject Orion, with it being estimated that the game could be released around 2028/2029 at the earliest. Thankfully, the core gameplay of theCyberpunkfranchise has been continually evolving since 2020 with a lot of post-launch care being given to the game, and2077has offered a huge amount of lessons that CDPR can keep in mind for the development ofOrion. WhileProject Orionshould also focus on cultivating its own unique image, the Netrunning aspect of2077was something that felt underutilized even in the final build of the game, andOrionshould go out of its way to finally make this gameplay feature shine.
Netrunning Should Get the Spotlight it Deserves in Project Orion
The setting and worldbuilding ofCyberpunk 2077is a massive element of the game’s success, as well as a big contributor to the immense hype that surrounded the project prior to its release. Belonging to a wider franchise that has roots as far back as 1988, CD Projekt Red had a huge wealth of lore and information available to them for2077’s portrayal of Night City and its inhabitants.
Of course, the world ofCyberpunk 2077is typified by widespread corporate greed and huge socioeconomic inequality which helps inform its story, but this near-future setting is also conducive to high-grade technology that opens up a world of gameplay opportunities. This is most evident in the concept ofNetrunning in theCyberpunkfranchise, which refers to high-end hackers that have cybernetically augmented their bodies to increase their hacking capabilities.
The most dedicated Netrunners essentially live in the digital realm, andCyberpunk 2077dips its toes into this concept by allowing the player to choose from a wide range of hacking abilities through Netrunning gear and skill trees. While this can be used to open up combat capabilities through things like distracting enemies, hacking equipment, and detonating explosives inCyberpunk 2077, it is clear thatProject Orionstill has a wide range of Netrunning improvements that it can implement.
Netrunning Stations and New Pathways Could Define Project Orion’s Gameplay Approaches
It is true thatCyberpunk 2077does well to offer the player different playstyles to work towards, such as stealth, melee, and ranged, but it is clear that dedicated Netrunning builds are something that CD Projekt Red has always had reservations over in2077. This is best evidenced by the massive overhaul to Netrunning that came with the game’s 2.0 update, which stopped Netrunning builds from being completely overpowered at the cost of reducing how well Netrunning worked with other mechanics like stealth.
CDPR has the opportunity to build around these changes inProject Orionby leaning further into the lore of Netrunning, making it more than just pressing a few quickhacks to completely clear a room of enemies. For example, players should be able to choose between different Neturnning pathways inProject Orion, with the opportunity to buy and use Netrunning stations to explore the cyber realm.
This is something that other Netrunners are seen to use in2077, but this equipment is never afforded to the player, and this could be used inOrionto create city-wide distractions or to eliminate rival Netrunners before embarking on a mission.Netrunning is one of the most fascinating elements of theCyberpunkfranchise, andProject Orionshould provide a much more comprehensive portrayal of it to really lean into such a defining aspect of the IP.
