CD Projekt Red is currently working on the highly anticipated sequel to Cyberpunk 2077, Project Orion. According to Game Director Gabe Amatangelo, the game is in the early stages of development and enjoying its “fun phase.” This update follows the studio’s successful turnaround with the Phantom Liberty DLC for Cyberpunk 2077, which significantly improved over the game’s rocky launch in 2020.
In an interview with IGN, Amatangelo, who leads Project Orion at CD Projekt Red’s new Boston studio, recently discussed the development process. He stressed the significance of learning from the launch of Cyberpunk 2077, emphasizing the importance of trust, communication, and contingency planning within the team. This approach prioritizes open communication and collaboration, allowing everyone to comfortably share ideas and concerns without worrying about hierarchy or judgment.
While few details about Project Orion are available, some exciting hints have been shared. The game is currently in the “fun phase,” which means you’re brainstorming ideas, creating concept art, and building prototypes. This playful stage allows for exploration and experimentation before solidifying specific story elements and gameplay mechanics.
“In the perfect world, when you’re making a game, it’s all ideation and concepts and putting stuff in concept art and then moving to the next stage once you’re feeling solid about your ideas or maybe your story outline, and then you start prototyping things. We’re in that stage, but it’s kind of blurred, like prototyping some things as well as concepting some stuff and working on the story. So, yeah, we got some prototypes going on. We’ve got some exploration, some pipeline setup, some story ideas being thrown at the wall, back and forth, concept art, that kind of phase, the fun phase.”
Gabe Amatangelo
Amatangelo admits there were recent layoffs at CD Projekt Red and acknowledges the challenges the game industry is currently facing. However, he seems positive about the future. He says the industry will adjust and learn from its mistakes. He sees Project Orion as a chance to apply these insights and build a healthy development environment that avoids overworking employees.
According to Amatangelo, planning ahead and staying flexible are important for preventing overwork. This includes setting achievable goals, using resources wisely, and ensuring everyone takes breaks. He suggests creating a supportive team where everyone helps out, and no one person does all the work.
Amatangelo also mentioned his concerns about the limits of current console technology and his goals for Project Orion. He wants more advanced technology, saying he wants “Holodecks,” but understands the need to work within the restrictions of current hardware and AI.
It’s too early for him to say exactly where the game is going, but it’s good that the team embraces the best part of content creation.
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