Now thatCyberpunk 2077has been well and fully redeemed after years of negative publicity, lawsuits, and online drama, CD Projekt Red is looking to the future, moving ahead withThe Witcher 4andProject Orion,Cyberpunk’s code-named sequel. This is exciting, but the dearth ofinformation related toProject Orionhas led to rampant speculation and rumor-mongering, and CDPR itself has yet to emerge to confirm or deny these various claims.
One of the most prominent rumors swirling around theCyberpunk 2077sequel is that it will be set in space. This would be a major change, naturally, but it wouldn’t come completely out of left field: bothCyberpunk 2077and theEdgerunnersprequel show have a heavy emphasis on space exploration, and the protagonist of each actually visits outer space in the finale (in the game’s case, this only occurs in The Devil ending). Having said that, it seems unlikely that all ofProject Orionwill be set in space, as this would be a significant departure from the titular “cyberpunk” framework that the series ought to be known for. But it’s conceivable thatProject Orionwould at least feature space travel in some capacity, more so than its predecessor at least, which would raise some interesting questions.
If Project Orion Is Spacebound, It May Encounter the Same Alien Issues as Starfield
Starfield Features Aliens, but Not Intelligent Ones
Unlike a sci-fi IP likeMass Effect,Starfield’s non-human, non-Earth speciesare also non-sapien, meaning that they lack what could be considered “human-like” intelligence. Alien creatures like the Terrormorphs exhibit some form of intelligence, of course, but they are closer to Earthbound animals like bears or wolves than civilized, literate societies. In other words, Terrormorphs, Ashtas, Glowhands, and all ofStarfield’s other cosmic entities are far from forming a galactic federation with humanity; rather, they are akin to violent pests, serving as canon fodder for players that stray from human civilization.
While this might be somewhat disappointing for fans ofseries likeMass EffectorStar Trek, wherein diverse alien societies and cultures are prominent, it does have an elegant, smoothing effect onStarfield’s worldbuilding. The fact is, introducing aliens to a sci-fi story (a sci-fi story worth its salt, at least), requires fundamental changes to plot and lore construction; no longer can a story simply be about exploration or humanity’s ascension to the stars: the existence of aliens requires a reevaluation of what it means to be intelligent, and culture, civilization, religion, and philosophy would all be radically changed in light of first contact.
Project Orion May Benefit from a Similar Approach as Starfield
If the rumors aboutProject Orion’s interstellar focus are true, then CD Projekt Red will have to make tough decisions about how to handle extraterrestrial life. It seems rather unlikely that theCyberpunksequel would go whole hog on space opera shenanigans, fully committing to the idea of intelligent, non-human species, as this could totally dominate the experience: it would be hard to tell an intimate, grounded story about rampant capitalism, wealth inequality, and societal degradation while reckoning with the more existential questions posed by the revelation of alien life.
AssumingProject Oriondoes send players to space, there could be a unique opportunity to build uponCyberpunk 2077’s enemy variety, which is mostly carried by cybernetic enhancements and automatons: perhaps humans could experiment on alien bacteria found on a passing asteroid, creating abominations for the player to fight. Something of this sort would allow the sequel to capitalize on its potential spacebound setting while still remaining focused on human folly, like its predecessor. It would also keep things from getting too out of hand: there are plenty of video game series with intelligent alien species;Project Oriondoesn’t need to be another one.
Cyberpunk 2077
WHERE TO PLAY
Cyberpunk 2077 is an open-world action-adventure from the creators of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, CD Projekt Red.Set in Night City, a megalopolis obsessed with power, glamour and body modification, you play as V, a mercenary outlaw going after a one-of-a-kind implant that is the key to immortality.Upgraded with next-gen in mind and featuring free additional content, customize your character and playstyle as you take on jobs, build a reputation, and unlock upgrades.The relationships you forge and the choices you make will shape the story and the world around you. Legends are made here. What will yours be?
