CD Projekt Red Says New Studio Will Help Cyberpunk 2077 Sequel Feel More Authentic

On a new episode of CD Projekt Red’s podcast, the developers of Project Orion assure fans that the Cyberpunk 2077 sequel will succeed where its predecessor failed, especially when it concerns the franchise’s authenticity. For example, Associate Game Director Paweł Sasko pointed out an inconsistency in the game’s setting, as Reddit had been in a frenzy over misinterpreted manhole covers in-game. Despite Cyberpunk 2077 taking place in an American city, specifically the fictional Night City in California, the manholes covering the streets were consistent with European designs, not the manhole covers found on American streets. CD Projekt Red seeks to fix those imperfections, thanks to a new Boston studio.

Back in May, CD Projekt Red launched a new Boston, Massachusetts hub focused primarily around developing Project Orion. This allowed CD Projekt Red to deligate tasks to specific departments and spread the workload more evenly for a faster, more efficient process to maintain Cyberpunk 2077‘s unique and realistic art style. Right now, the Boston studio is still under development and the CD Projekt Red website has yet to fill out information about the new location, including the exact address. Originally, CD Projekt Red was based solely out of Poland, before opening a new branch in Vancouver, Canada, and now Boston.

In a new episode of the AnsweRED podcast, the lead developers on Project Orion sat down for a chat about the sequel’s future, specifically how it will address the mistakes made with Cyberpunk 2077. Acting Executive Producer Dan Hernberg said, “I think Cyberpunk is obviously a uniquely American story. It’s got a lot of like punk energy, and it was written by an American, so it just seems right to do it in America.” Sasko chimed in to reiterate the many differences between American and Polish culture, explaining: “When you go to America, there’s things like hydrants, where they are placed and how they look like. The street lights, the positions of that, the trash bins, right? They’re in the front of the house, right by the street. In Poland, in Europe, you don’t see it almost anywhere.”

CD Projekt Red Hopes New Boston Location Will Make the Cyberpunk Franchise More Believable

Among many other perks of CD Projekt Red opening a location in Boston, the biggest incentive will be the addition of North American talent. These designers, animators, artists, and writers will be collaborating with the Vancouver location on Project Orion to ensure the sequel doesn’t drop the ball as it did with Cyberpunk 2077. Not only does the authenticity of the game make it more immersive, but attention to detail with Cyberpunk 2077‘s locations and landmarks would make the setting much more believable.

But consistencies weren’t the only problem found by Cyberpunk 2077 players, as the PC version promised a seamless experience while console versions were frequently crashing on current-gen consoles like the PS5 and the new Xbox systems. To make matters worse, the game barely ran on older-gen consoles like the PS4 and Xbox One. Cyberpunk 2077 had a troubled history, but the hope is that CD Projekt Red’s new Boston team will carry the weight of ensuring complete accuracy for Project Orion.

Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077 is an RPG set in a future dystopian world. Players take up the role of V, who works as a mercenary in Night City in California. Gameplay involves branching dialogue, open-world exploration, character classes, and combat.

Released

December 10, 2020