Sound the “it’s happening” klaxon, folks, because it’s happening: CD Projekt announced today that Cyberpunk 2—which is now officially named Cyberpunk 2 instead of Project Orion—has entered the “pre-production phase” of development.

It’s not the biggest surprise of the year; since 2023, it’s been known that a new Cyberpunk game was in the works from a new branch of CDPR in Boston. However, pre-production is a very early part of the process. Even so, it’s a significant milestone, according to CD Projekt’s CFO Piotr Nielubowicz during the recent earnings call:

“The Phantom Liberty expansion reached another sales milestone, having been purchased by 10 million gamers… This shows sustained interest in the Cyberpunk universe.”

Nielubowicz expressed satisfaction at announcing this new stage for Cyberpunk 2, noting that congratulations were due to the whole development team as they transition from concept to pre-production.

It is anticipated that the sequel will not arrive until 2028 at the earliest, as per industry norms where a shift from pre-production to final release typically spans four to five years. Nielubowicz hinted as much responding to inquiries during the call, adding that while he can’t pinpoint a year, this timeline framework should hold.

“Every project is unique, but yes, this is pretty much how it looks.”

To maintain momentum towards Cyberpunk 2, CD Projekt’s focus for recruitment in 2025 will primarily target the new team developing the game.