Cyberpunk 2077’s sequel may still be quite a ways off, but that hasn’t stopped the speculation train from running rampant. The sequel, presently known simply asProject Orion, is expected to continue thelegacy and unmistakable style ofCyberpunk 2077, while hopefully also learning from its shortcomings.
WhetherProject Orionwill actually be a direct sequel is unclear, as all the endings ofCyberpunk 2077are quite conclusive, not leaving a lot of room to continue V and Johnny’s story. With this in mind, there’s also a solid chance thatOrionwill take players beyond the confines of the iconic Night City, perhaps introducing new urban environments, or even another temporal setting, exploring different points in this unsettling vision of humanity’s future. Naturally, the Cyberpunk genre highlights the dense and dirty elements of hyper-modern life, reflecting real-world concerns like urban sprawl and rampant industrialization, but the natural world hasn’t been stamped out completely—something that is evident in the vastness ofCyberpunk 2077’s barren Badlands. Based on the little information currently available aboutProject Orion, it’s possible that players will see more of this side of Mike Pondsmith’s sci-fi world.
Project Orion’s Ostensible Animal Focus, Explained
Animals Are a Rarity in Cyberpunk 2077, but Perhaps Less So in Project Orion
Arecent job listing from CD Projekt Redfor aProject OrionCharacter Artist makes explicit mention of animals. Specifically, the listing says that the ideal candidate will have a “very good understanding of human as well as animal form and anatomy.” This is vague, of course, but the fact that the listing goes out of its way to highlight the importance of animal anatomy suggests that new animals could be designed forProject Orion—something that would be a matter of course for most games, but is loaded with meaning givenCyberpunk’s world.
Thereare already some animals inCyberpunk 2077, but CDPR’s apparent desire to design more suggests that they could be more prominent in the sequel.
What The Arrival of More Animals Could Mean for Project Orion
The scarceness of bothwild and domestic animals inCyberpunk 2077is directly connected to the game’s lore. A few decades beforeCyberpunk 2077takes place, serious zoonotic epidemics led to the mass eradication of most non-human animal life, particularly in denser communities where civilians were more at risk. The “Wildlife in Night City” data shard even suggests that small insects were wiped out as a result of these plagues.
Butthe obvious counter to this is that animal life is likely more abundant outside of Night City—a notion that is supported byCyberpunk 2077’s iguana egg, which comes from the Badlands and must be smuggled into the city. Thus, if CD Projekt Red is indeed planning to introduce more animals forProject Orion, then it would be natural to assume that players will get to see more of the world beyond Night City’s walls. In other words, if animal life is more abundant in rural or untamed regions, andProject Orionis doubling down on animal life, then maybe its setting will incorporate such regions to a greater degree than its predecessor.
Having said that, it’s always important to consider alternate explanations. More animals couldindicate a departure from Night City, but it could also simply mean the inclusion of more animals within the metropolis’s walls. One interesting piece oflore that was underexplored inCyberpunk 2077is that animal ownership is not actually illegal, but merely restricted to the ultra-rich because of the high taxes associated with it. With this in mind, CDPR’s request for animal designs could be the result of a character or side quest revolving around such a unique quirk of privilege in its game world. This would be interesting, yes, but hardly as transformative as a greater focus on the natural world in general.
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?
