CD Projekt Red announced on April 30, 2026 that the development team behind the Cyberpunk 2077 sequel, known internally as Project Orion, has grown to 163 members, up from 149 in February. the expansion underscores the studio’s commitment to the title, which entered pre‑production in 2025 and will follow The Witcher 4 in the company’s release schedule.

Team expands to 163 developers by April 30, 2026

According to a social‑media post from CD Projekt Red, the Orion project now employs 163 developers, a 9% increase over the February headcount. the studio highlighted the addition of new programmers, artists, and narrative designers, suggesting a broader scope for the sequel’s world‑building and gameplay systems.

This staffing boost comes after a period of criticism over Cyberpunk 2077’s launch, and it signals a renewed focus on quality and ambition. By publicly sharing the numbers, CD Projekt Red aims to reassure fans that the sequel will not repeat past missteps.

Project Orion in pre‑production since 2025

As reported by the same CD Projekt Red update, Project Orion entered pre‑production in 2025, marking the first formal phase after the studio completed The Witcher 4’s early development. Pre‑production typically involves concept refinement, technology selection, and core gameplay prototyping.

Industry analysts note that a two‑year pre‑production window is longer than average for AAA titles, hinting that CD Projekt Red may be iterating heavily on narrative branches and the game’s ambitious open‑world systems.

Orion slated to follow The Witcher 4 in release pipeline

The studio confirmed that Orion will launch after The Witcher 4, positioning it as the next major pillar in CD Projekt Red’s portfolio. No specific relaese window has been disclosed, but the sequencing suggests Orion could arrive in the early‑to‑mid 2028 window, assuming a typical 2‑year development cycle from pre‑production to launch.

Fans of both franchises are watching closely, as the two IPs share a reputation for deep storytelling and expansive worlds. the ordering also reflects the studio’s strategy to stagger major releases, avoiding internal resource clashes.

What timeline does CD Projekt Red hint at?

While the April 30 post did not include a launch date, the steady increase in staff and the pre‑production milestone imply a more concrete timeline is forming. Observers point out that CD Projekt Red typically announces a game’s release window once it reaches vertical slice or milestone‑2, roughly 18‑24 months into development.

Given the current headcount and the 2025 pre‑production start, the next public update could arrive in late 2026 or early 2027, potentially revealing a beta test window or a targeted release quarter.

Who remains silent on Orion’s budget and platform strategy?

The source did not disclose the project’s financial allocation or whether it will launch on next‑gen consoles, PC, or cloud platforms. CD Projekt Red has historically kept budget figures private, and no statements from platform partners have emerged.

Without these details, analysts cannot fully gauge the sequel’s market positioning, leaving investors and fans to speculate on whether Orion will aim for a premium price point or adopt a live‑service model.