Cyberpunk 2077 Sequel "Project Orion" Heats Up With Veterans From Mortal Kombat, Diablo and More

CD Projekt Red, the studio behind The Witcher and Cyberpunk 2077, is ramping up development for their highly anticipated sequel, codenamed Project Orion. Marking a significant step forward, the company announced the recruitment of several high-profile developers with impressive resumes across acclaimed franchises like Hitman, Diablo, Mortal Kombat, and Dishonored.

Leading the charge is executive producer Dan Hernberg, previously holding key positions at Amazon Games and Blizzard Entertainment. Ryan Barnard, known for his work at Ubisoft Massive and IO Interactive, joins as design director. Taking on the engineering director role is Alan Villani, whose expertise lies in technical direction on past Mortal Kombat titles.

For narrative direction, Project Orion welcomes Anna Megill, a veteran writer who contributed to acclaimed games like Control, Dishonored: Death of The Outsider, and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora. Additionally, Alexander Freed, with experience at studios like DICE, Obsidian Entertainment, and Wizards of the Coast, strengthens the writing team.

"As work on Project Orion enters early stages of development," CD Projekt Red stated, "we're actively seeking talent across various positions in our Boston and Vancouver studios."

Specific details surrounding the Cyberpunk 2077 sequel remain under wraps, but hints suggest exciting possibilities. Multiplayer, a feature missing from the original, is reportedly being considered by the studio. Furthermore, CD Projekt Red aims for the Cyberpunk franchise to follow a similar trajectory as The Witcher, implying grander gameplay advancements and features for Orion upon its eventual release. This ambition comes as a large portion of the studio focuses on The Witcher 4.

With renowned developers onboard and potential innovations on the horizon, Project Orion's development certainly appears promising for fans of the cyberpunk genre and CD Projekt Red's work. While details remain shrouded in secrecy, the talent acquisition signals the studio's commitment to crafting a worthy successor to the critically acclaimed Cyberpunk 2077.