CD Projekt Red has quite a bit in store for fans ofCyberpunk 2077, but they might have to wait a bit. While the developer is busy creating the DLC expansionCyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty,it has also confirmed that aCyberpunk 2077sequel is on the horizon. CD Projekt Red is rumored to be focused on releasing new installments ofThe Witcherfranchise, givingCyberpunkfans time to playPhantom Libertyand predict how theCyberpunk 2077sequel – codenamed “Project Orion” – will pan out.
AlthoughCyberpunk 2077: Phantom Libertyis not out yet, it is top of the list forwhat to expect from CD Projekt Red in 2023.The DLC reportedly has the largest budget of any expansion made by the studio and is expected to expand the in-game world seen in Cyberpunk 2077. Phantom Libertywill again be centered around V and Johnny Silverhand, as they appear to tangle with the government of the New United States of America, according to the DLC’s release trailer. With theCyberpunk 2077sequel confirmed andPhantom Libertyaround the corner, it’s time to consider what the future has in store for Night City.
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The New United States Might Be In Another Civil War
Outside of Night City, there are more cities and settlements within The New United States (NUSA), but not all are on good terms with the country’s larger government. Years before the game, theNew United States were embroiled in the “Unification War,“a conflict between the New United States and the Free States governed autonomously. WhileCyberpunk 2077takes place after the war ended,Cyberpunklore hints at deteriorating relations between the two sides, possibly hinting at another war.
Given that theCyberpunk 2077:Phantom Libertytrailerinvolves V making a troublesome allegiance to The New United States government, the DLC could be the catalyst for a war that would play out in the sequel. Also, Night City appeared to have taken a neutral stance during the Unification War, despite being in California, a state half occupied by NUSA and half occupied by the Free States. This could hint at future gameplay, seeing the civil war flood Night City and create greater chaos.
The Cyberpunk 2077 Sequel Might Take Place Outside Night City
Players who sided with the Aldecaldos in the later half ofCyberpunk 2077received an ending involving Panam Palmer and V escaping Night City limits for the desert beyond. While there are quite a fewpossible endings forCyberpunk 2077, the Nomad ending would allow the sequel to take place in the Free States. With V’s apparent allegiance to NUSA inPhantom Liberty, the next game might be from the perspective of a protagonist living in San Francisco, a central hub for the Free States.
Although very little is established canonically about the Free States inCyberpunk 2077lore, they seem to consist mainly of desert wastelands and small nomadic settlements outside more prominent cities. If the sequel takes place in the Free States, there’s also a chance that the game could be set in the Western Corporate States like Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. This would bring an entirely new edge to theCyberpunkfranchise, as mega-corporations – including the Nomad-run MetaCorp – wholly run the Western Corporate States. The sequel might then center around a storyline pitting Nomads against mega-corporations.
V Will Likely Be Replaced In The Cyberpunk 2077 Sequel
UnlikeThe Witcher,Cyberpunk 2077gives players almost complete freedom to customize protagonist V however they see fit. This gives CD Projekt Red carte blanche to create another protagonist that might be a better fit for the sequel. It’s likely that theCyberpunk 2077sequel will allude to the ending of V’s story based on the canonical outcome ofPhantom Liberty.
Hopefully, the upcoming sequel will allow players to create a completely customizable protagonist and pursue multiple main storylines. This narrative system would align with the expansive growth of the game world, as alluded to byCD Projekt Red and its plans for growthto accommodate theCyberpunksequel. It would make sense for a new protagonist to be a Night City exile, a Nomad Free States supporter, or a new arrival in the New United States of America from a different country entirely.
Cyberpunk 2077is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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