CYBERPUNK 2 ORION LEAKS EXPLODE: New Chicago-Like CITY, V’s RETURN? CDPR’s Sept 4 TEASER HIDES MASSIVE SECRETS! 🌃🔥

Night City EXPANDS with a SECOND dystopian hellhole – “Chicago gone wrong” per creator Mike Pondsmith! 2025 leaks spill: First-person lock, UE5 glory, multiplayer hints, pre-prod rampage… but release? 2029-2030 bombshell! Debunked QA hoaxes teased Echo hunting V amid corpo wars – real or fan dream?

CDPR’s cryptic “netrunners needed” Sept 4 drop sparked frenzy – trailer incoming? Click to unpack EVERY leak, tease & timeline – will Orion redeem or ruin the saga?! 👉

CD Projekt Red’s (CDPR) ambitious sequel to the redeemed Cyberpunk 2077 – now officially dubbed Cyberpunk 2 after ditching codename Project Orion – has fans on edge after a year of tantalizing leaks, cryptic teases, and studio milestones. Launched amid 2077‘s post-Phantom Liberty glow (over 30 million copies sold lifetime), Orion promises to “prove the full power of the Cyberpunk universe.” As of November 2025, it’s in pre-production at CDPR’s North American hubs (Boston, Vancouver), blending 2077‘s core with Unreal Engine 5 upgrades. But 2025’s drama – from debunked QA leaks to Mike Pondsmith’s city bombshell – keeps speculation raging. Here’s the full breakdown.

Announcement & Development Timeline Project Orion dropped October 4, 2022, post-2077 launch fallout, as CDPR’s strategy pivot: Single-player focus with multiplayer “to bolster” it. Core 2077 team – led by Phantom Liberty director Gabriel Amatangelo – relocated to Boston in early 2024, hitting 350-500 devs by Q1 2025.

Key milestones:

Conceptual phase complete: May 2025 – Entered pre-production, rebranded “Cyberpunk 2” internally.
UE5 shift: Confirmed 2024 – Ditching REDengine for Epic partnership; faster iteration, Nanite/Lumen visuals.
Team growth: Q1 2025 earnings: Double headcount by year-end; jobs for VFX, animators, multiplayer engineers.

CDPR’s cautious post-2077 vibe shines: Transparent updates, no crunch, lessons from 2020’s mess applied.

Story & Setting Leaks No official plot, but teases abound. Creator Mike Pondsmith (Digital Dragons 2025): Second major city alongside Night City – “Chicago gone wrong,” distinct vibe (less noir, more chaotic). Expect expanded lore: Corpo wars, transhumanism, reactive choices validating 2077 endings.

2025 leaks:

January QA hoax: Reddit “Echo” netrunner hunts vanished V; Arasaka vs. Militech climax. CDPR debunked/banned user, but lore fits.
February ArtStation: Tokyo skyline, Pacifica slums, cyber-protagonist. Insider Jason Schreier hinted legitimacy.
Job listings: Crafting overhaul, motion-captured cutscenes, scripted/interactive storytelling like 2077.

Pondsmith’s reviewed scripts; “more reactive” per Paweł Sasko – your V’s path matters.

CDPR Teases & Marketing

September 4, 2025: In-universe NUSA broadcast – President Myers recruits “brave netrunners” vs. cyber-threats. ARG vibes? Trailer/DLC hints? Sasko retweeted; community frenzy.No trailers yet; first likely TGA/SGF 2026+. 2077 Ultimate Edition on Switch 2 (June 5) keeps hype alive.

Gameplay & Features First-person confirmed (job leak); immersion focus. Multiplayer: “High-performance online” hires; co-op/GTA Online-style? Crafting, progression tweaks, denser NPCs. UE5: Realistic crowds, vast worlds.

Release Date Speculation Pre-prod May 2025; CDPR: 4-5 years to launch – late 2029/early 2030. No rush; Witcher 4 priority. PC/PS5/Xbox Series first; next-gen timed?

Aspect
Confirmed/Details
Leaks/Rumors

Title/Codename
Cyberpunk 2 (ex-Orion)
N/A

Engine
Unreal Engine 5
Nanite worlds, Lumen lighting

Setting
Night City + new city (“Chicago wrong”)
Tokyo/Pacifica expansions

Story
Reactive choices; transhumanism
Echo hunts V; corpo wars

Gameplay
First-person; crafting/cutscenes
Multiplayer co-op

Release
2029-2030 est.
Day-one Game Pass? (debunked)

Orion’s path: Redemption arc? With 2077‘s 25M+ sales, stakes soar. Sept 4 tease aftermath? Pondsmith’s nods? As CDPR hires (VFX leads, animators), buzz builds. Fans: V cameo? Multiplayer hit? Polish studio’s UE5 bet pays off? Night City’s sequel looms – chooms, wake up.