Project Orion and the Power of Persistence: How Cyberpunk 2077 Secured Its Sequel

It is rare in the video game industry for a title to stumble at the starting line and yet finish the race ahead of the record holder. Yet, that is exactly what CD Projekt Red has achieved. New data emerging from the studio’s recent earnings call highlights a stunning achievement: Cyberpunk 2077 has outsold The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt when comparing the first four years of both games' lifecycles. This financial victory does more than just pad the company's bottom line; it validates the upcoming sequel, Project Orion, and proves that the studio’s sci-fi ambitions are just as potent as their fantasy roots.

Outperforming a Masterpiece

The comparison to The Witcher 3 is not one to be taken lightly. That game is frequently cited as one of the greatest RPGs ever made, enjoying years of consistent sales. For Cyberpunk 2077 to eclipse those numbers is a testament to the "Edgerunners Effect" and the relentless 2.0 overhaul that fundamentally reshaped the game.
The charts released by CDPR visualize a steady, upward climb that defies the usual drop-off seen in single-player titles. While The Witcher 3 had a more traditional sales curve, Cyberpunk has maintained a higher baseline of sales in recent quarters. This indicates that the game has successfully shed its "broken" reputation among the general gaming populace. For the player, this matters because it confirms that the specific flavor of first-person, narrative-heavy RPG gameplay found in Night City isn't a niche experiment—it’s a formula that millions are actively buying into right now, four years later.

Boston, Pre-Production, and the Future

Perhaps the most exciting nugget of information for fans buried in the corporate update is the status of the sequel. Project Orion is currently in pre-production, managed by CDPR’s new North American studio in Boston. This geographical shift is significant. It places the development of the sequel in a new environment, led by key talent responsible for the critical darling Phantom Liberty.
The term "pre-production" might sound distant, but in the context of AAA development, it is the most crucial phase. This is where the mistakes of the past are analyzed and the systems of the future are designed. With the sales of the first game providing a massive financial safety net—serving as the studio's main source of income while The Witcher 4 spins up—the team in Boston has the breathing room to iterate. They aren't rushing to save a sinking ship; they are building a new vessel on calm waters.

What This Means for the Franchise

The success of Cyberpunk 2077 over The Witcher 3 changes the narrative expectation. We can likely expect Project Orion to double down on the features that drove this late-stage success: deep build variety, reactive storytelling, and perhaps the third-person cinematic flair introduced in the expansion.
Furthermore, this sales milestone confirms that Cyberpunk is now a multi-media juggernaut. Just as The Witcher expanded into books and TV, Cyberpunk has proven it can sustain interest through anime and merchandise, which feeds back into game sales. The "impressive milestone" of revenue dominance guarantees that CD Projekt Red will treat the sequel with the same reverence as their next Witcher saga. Night City has survived its baptism by fire, and thanks to a historic sales run, its future looks brighter than the neon signs of Japantown.