The temporal setting of Cyberpunk 2077 is closely intertwined with its gameplay experience. When is the game set?

After the release of Cyberpunk 2077’s “Phantom Liberty” DLC and multiple post-launch updates and fixes, foreign media outlet GameRant notes that CD Projekt Red is setting its sights on the future of the franchise—with a sequel, codenamed Project Orion, already in development. While official details remain scarce, GameRant argues that this mysterious sequel has sparked a host of critical questions among players: Will V return? Which city will the story take place in? And most importantly, when will the game be set?

GameRant emphasizes that the temporal setting of Cyberpunk 2077 is inextricably linked to its gameplay experience. The original game is set approximately 50 years after the end of the Fourth Corporate War—a conflict that shaped the power dynamics between Arasaka and Militech, gave rise to the Soulkiller technology, and led to the formation of the New United States of America. In the original game, conflicts such as the one between Saburo Arasaka and Yorinobu Arasaka, the feud between Adam Smasher and Johnny Silverhand, and the corporate rivalry between Militech and Arasaka all stem from this historical event, making it a case of “past causes echoing in future consequences.” If Project Orion deviates from this era, its storyline, character relationships, and gameplay could undergo significant changes.

According to GameRant’s analysis, Project Orion’s temporal setting will define its core identity. If the sequel picks up immediately after the events of the original game, it will need to address the new power balance between Arasaka and Militech in the aftermath of the original’s plot, as well as the impact of the original game’s multiple endings on the world. At the same time, whether characters like V, Johnny, and Panam return will depend on which ending the developers establish as the “canon” (official) storyline.

If the sequel is set in a different era, the possibilities are nearly limitless. For instance, it could take players back to one of the Corporate Wars, allowing them to participate directly in the battle for power. Alternatively, it could be set several decades after the original game, depicting a world spiraling further out of control—one marked by extreme social inequality and unprecedented advances in cyberware technology. If Project Orion introduces an entirely new protagonist, such a setting might even be the optimal choice: it would free the sequel from the constraints of the original game’s storyline and 世界观 (worldview), enabling the creation of a fully fresh gameplay experience.

GameRant concludes that Project Orion’s temporal and worldbuilding choices matter not only for narrative consistency but also for shaping its gameplay design and character development in profound ways. Only when this key detail is officially revealed will players be able to truly grasp the sequel’s overall direction and identity.