Project Orion Leak: Mike Pondsmith Confirms New Chicago-Inspired Setting for Cyberpunk Sequel

Fans of Cyberpunk should get ready for something new and different in the next chapter of the Cyberpunk universe. The famous creator of the Cyberpunk tabletop RPG, Mike Pondsmith, recently dropped some big hints about Cyberpunk Project Orion, the much-anticipated follow-up to Cyberpunk 2077. What's the main point? Night City will not be in the new game. Instead, we're going to a new city that feels like Chicago but has gone in a dark, scary direction.

This information was revealed when Pondsmith spoke at the Digital Dragons 2025 conference. He talked about his work on the sequel and gave details about where it takes place. CD Action, which covered the event, said that Pondsmith confirmed that Night City still exists in the universe, but that the main setting of the new game is a completely different city.

"Cyberpunk Project Orion takes us to another city". Night City is still there. I remember looking at them and saying, "Yes, I get the mood you're going for." This isn't like Blade Runner. Smith said, "It's more like Chicago that went the wrong way."

This quote suggests that the new game will take place in a rough, urban dystopia based on Chicago in 2080, a few years after Cyberpunk 2077. Fans may remember an ad in the game that hinted at a fast travel link: "Get from Chicago to Night City in less than 3 hours." No worries; it's coming in 2080. Fans have long thought that this means the Cyberpunk sequel takes place somewhere in the Midwest.

People often compare Night City to Blade Runner because of its neon-lit, corporate cyberpunk look. Project Orion's city, on the other hand, will feel rougher, grittier, and much more "lived in." Pondsmith's words make me think of a cityscape that has "gone the wrong way." Maybe some parts of the city will feel like a cross between Judge Dredd's harsh mega-city sprawl and Cyberpunk's dark, dangerous Dogtown.

Think of large areas where the shine of big businesses barely hides falling apart infrastructure, a lot of crime, and communities struggling to stay alive in the face of neglect and corruption. But it won't all be dirty; there will almost certainly also be clean business areas, making the cityscape very different.

Fans of lore will find many ideas in Chicago's history in the Cyberpunk universe. Chicago was founded in 1833 by John Baptiste. It was hit hard by the Collapse in 2012, a breakdown in global society and the economy that changed the world. About 90% of the city had been abandoned, and nature had taken over, reclaiming the ruins of cities.

By 2077, part of the city had been rebuilt, and a transcontinental mag-lev network connected it to Night City. Elevated trains all around the downtown Loop area, and green fluorescent lights shine in underground areas like Emerald City. Some neighborhoods, like New Town and Old Town, are starting to get better. You can see signs of their former wealth among the vegetable gardens and odd local businesses.

This deep, complex background gives CD Projekt Red a lot of room to create a city that is alive and well, with history, personality, and big differences between rich and poor. This is perfect for telling a Cyberpunk story.

Interestingly, the game is being made in CD Projekt Red's studio in Boston, which means that the American setting will be well-researched and true to life. Massachusetts has its own Boston Metroplex, so it's already a part of Cyberpunk lore. Though some fans think the game might even happen there, Pondsmith's comments make Chicago look like the clear favorite.

There is much speculation about whether Project Orion will continue V's story or start a new one. The game takes place in 2080, which is only a few years after 2077. It's not impossible that V would go from Night City to this city that looks like Chicago in a direct sequel.

But Cyberpunk 2077 has more than one ending, which makes things more difficult. Picking a canon ending could make some fans dislike the game. It's possible that the new game will have a new cast with some familiar faces. It will have a new story, but it will still be connected to the cyberpunk universe.

"You don't feel Blade Runner here," Mike Pondsmith said. It's more like Chicago that went the wrong way." This says it all about the exciting direction Project Orion is taking. It promises a change from the bright corporate sprawl to a rougher, darker dystopia in a city full of mystery, danger, and interesting people.

Are you ready to see Chicago in the future, where everything has gone wrong? Cyberpunk Project Orion might be the bold new chapter this franchise needs. It has a new setting and a new feel, and it was made in Boston.