Setting creator Mike Pondsmith's latest reveal for the sequel to Cyberpunk 2077 has me worried about the future of the series. Pondsmith is credited with originating the Cyberpunk setting, being the sole author and designer of the 1988 tabletop system that launched the franchise. He worked closely with developers at CD Projekt Red on the first game, and is known to be doing the same on the sequel, codenamed Project Orion, although perhaps in a lesser capacity.

It's not Pondsmith's decision to step back that has me worried, though - I was an early adopter, and watched CD Projekt Red turn learned the right lessons from the first game's missteps, but in doing so, it may have missed a major opportunity for expansion - one, I'd argue, is vital to making Project Orion feel like a genuine leap forward.

Cyberpunk 2077 Sequel Might Add A New City

Pondsmith Calls It "Chicago Gone Wrong"

According to an interview with Mike Pondsmith, originally on Polish YouTube channel Cyberpunk's sequel could take place in a new city. Pondsmith says the new setting feels more like "Chicago gone wrong" than Night City's Blade Runner vibes, but considers it a welcome change of pace for the series.

At present, it's not clear how the new city will work: Project Orion might take place almost entirely in the new setting with Night City as a brief cameo, or vice versa. My concern, though, is that it might try to split its time equally between the two cities, which could lead to unwelcome bloating, skipping over real opportunities for development in favor of sheer, empty scale.

It certainly sounds like that might be the case: Pondsmith refers to the new setting as "another city we visit," but is careful to qualify that "Night City is still there." He refused to reveal any more, though, as Cyberpunk's sequel is still a long ways off and likely still under heavy embargo.

Night City Is Full Of Life, But It Can Feel Hollow

And I Don't Mean That Metaphorically

Even after all the improvements made to Cyberpunk 2077 since launch, Night City still feels empty. Despite the pervasive hostility, it's a beautifully designed city, full of sordid details and hidden secrets just waiting to be discovered. Driving around with the radio on, taking in the ambiance - it's impossible not to get sucked into the setting, to feel the oppressiveness of the constant advertising, the ever-present threats of pollution, police brutality, and capitalism.

But then you get out of the car, and...there's nothing. NPCs are little more than dead-eyed mannequins, standing around or ambling aimlessly from place to place. They don't have any unique behaviors; they only pipe up if they have a quest to give you, or something to sell you. Shops are mostly cookie-cutter; there's scarcely any difference between one vendor and the next, apart from their inventories. Even the secrets you discover are mostly static - weird little rooms, or revealing datashards are cool, and help color in the background of the world, but they don't make it feel any more alive.

For the most part, playing Cyberpunk involves driving from one mission to the next. There are no active world events, there's no sense of spontaneity at all. The world is beautifully detailed and full of character, but devoid of life. It feels too curated for an open-world game - there's just not enough to do off the beaten path. Driving becomes more of a distraction from the emptiness of the world than an actual game mechanic.

Some random events were added as part of the 2.0 update, but they remain pretty rare and underwhelming.

And I say this as someone who loves Cyberpunk for everything it is. I've always hoped, though, that this would be resolved in the sequel, that Project Orion would be set in a more lively world where NPCs do unique, interesting, and complex things even when there's no mission to be accomplished, where you might randomly get caught up in a gang war or a police sting or a cyberpsycho attack just while walking down the street. I've longed for it to be the kind of world you just want to wander, and make your own fun in, instead of just a backdrop for a largely linear story game.

The Cyberpunk 2077 Sequel Could Be Stretched Thin

Big, But Empty Yet Again

This latest revelation makes me worry that's not the case. Project Orion is obviously aiming to expand on Cyberpunk 2077, and I can't fault it for that. However, there are other (arguably more important) ways to build on its foundations than simply making the map bigger. I'd much rather see a second Cyberpunk game that still takes place entirely within Night City - albeit maybe with some new districts, new construction, or more of the Badlands included - but expands meaningfully on the lackluster NPC AI and world events of the first game.

The leap forward in immersion would justify the sequel alone; the new story, and any marginal changes to Night City besides, would take it even further. I wouldn't even bat an eye at the repetition in the setting if that were the case.

Of course, I could eat my words when Project Orion is finally released. CD Projekt Red could somehow pull it off, creating a game that's both physically bigger and more immersive than the original. But I'm trying to be realistic - I know developers have limited time and limited resources, and the rumors of a bigger map have me concerned they're going towards the wrong elements. All I'm asking is a Cyberpunk 2077 sequel that improves on the original where it counts, instead of becoming a bloated, overambitious mess.

Sources: tvgry/YouTube, Insider Gaming