Cyberpunk Announced as CD Projekt Red’s Next Big RPG

Rumors have been swirling about CD Projekt Red’s next title, and today it has been revealed via their Summer Conference event.  The teaser images hinted at a cyberpunk, futuristic RPG.  Ironically, that’s exactly what was revealed: Cyberpunk, a futuristic RPG based on the popular pen-and-paper series of the same title .  Mike Pondsmith, the series’ creator, was on hand to describe his vision of a dystopian future, citing Blade Runner and author William Gibson as inspirations for the game and its setting.  Not much was revealed at the conference, but there was a picture (shown here), and some promises pertaining to the game’s concept.  In keeping with their tradition, CDP Red say Cyberpunk will be deep, nonlinear, and mature in terms of story and action.  There will be multiple classes to choose from in crafting your character, as well as branching storylines as we’ve seen in their previous work.  The game’s mechanics are to be based on the pen-and-paper game, so the series’ 5 million fans won’t have to suffer seeing their pastime transformed into a run-and-gun shooter (their words, not mine).  CDP Red has a track record when it comes to intense, mature RPG experiences, and I’m certainly excited to see more details for this title when they release over the coming months.  Hope to see more of this title soon?  Let us know in the comments.

WARSAW, POLAND (30 May 2012) — During its Summer Conference today, CD Projekt RED Studio, critically acclaimed RPG developer, announced that it is working on a new triple-A game based on the cult classic Cyberpunk® pen & paper RPG system created by Mike Pondsmith.

At the conference, CD Projekt co-founder Marcin Iwinski promised gamers that this game would have all of the hallmarks of the Witcher series that has made the developer so well-known and loved, and even more. Their upcoming RPG will be designed for mature and demanding players who expect to be treated seriously, and the game will be richly detailed, non-linear, and with a complex and gripping story. This much is expected from the talented studio, but the new universe brings with it some new twists in their game design. Players will experience the world through their own, unique characters chosen from different classes – be they blood-thirsty mercenaries or cunning hackers – who they will equip with vast choice of cybernetic implants and deadly weapons. As in The Witcher series, players will face morally ambiguous choices, their actions influencing events in the world at large and the fate of the individuals they encounter.

Original “Cyberpunk” game designer Mike Pondsmith was at hand for the conference in Warsaw, Poland. “For over two decades, I’ve been proud to say that Cyberpunk’s been the gold standard of what it means to be a true cyberpunk game. And it’s been a huge success for me and our many fans, with over 5 million players worldwide. But over all that time we haven’t found the right team to bring our cyberpunk world to full digital life — until now. CD Projekt Red is the team we’ve been hoping for. Their incredible work on The Witcher and The Witcher 2 shows that they share the same dedication and love of great games that we do at Talsorian. I’m especially stoked that they want our participation in making this game a fantastic project that will live up to everything Cyberpunk fans (old and new) have been waiting for. Trust me — this game is going to rock,” said “Maxmike” Pondsmith.

This game will be developed by a new team at CD Projekt RED Studio, composed of veterans from the Witcher franchise. The studio will set new standard in the futuristic RPG genre with an exceptional gaming experience. The most important goal for this division is to create a game matching their vision, a game that corresponds to their high production values.