Summary
Cyberpunk 2077has completed a respectable comeback in terms of how the franchise is now viewed by many fans, with the IP largely moving away from the negativity that surrounded its problematic launch in 2020. CD Projekt Red has had to work hard in the way of post-launch updates to make the title more reflective of what it originally promised to be. The recent release of the Phantom Liberty expansion is a testament to just how far the game has come.
Cyberpunk 2077now finds itself in an unusual position, with its newfound sense of pride and polish coming at the end of its life cycle. Since Phantom Liberty is the only major story expansion that2077will receive, CD Projekt Red needs to capitalize on the positive reputation of the IP in the near future without committing to another large-scale project. With this in mind, CD Projekt Red should look towards theGod of Warfranchise, which itself is rumored to be releasing a sort of half-sequel to the recentRagnarokin the near future.
Half-Sequels Could Be the Way Forward For Cyberpunk 2077 and God of War
Half-sequels have become a growing trend in the AAA gaming industry as of late, with the likes ofSpider-Man: Miles Moralesbeing a great exampleof how successful these projects can be. Half-sequels allow popular IPs to create meaningful narratives that supplement mainline releases without the same level of expectation and scale, tiding fans over during the downtime between major projects.
A lot of buzz is surrounding theGod of Warfranchise for this very reason, with it being heavily rumored that2022’sRagnarokwill receive its own half-sequelin the near future. Many expect this alleged project to bring closure to the remaining narrative threads ofRagnarok, while potentially featuring things like new playable characters. It will likely be some time before the next mainlineGod of Warreleases, and a half-sequel may be necessary to maintain the flow of the franchise in the meantime.
While a half-sequel to God of War Ragnarok is heavily rumored, it has not been officially confirmed.
This translates well tothe current state ofCyberpunk 2077, with Phantom Liberty marking the end of the title’s narrative offerings. While2077will eventually get a mainline sequel, this is probably an extremely far-off release, since2077launched a full eight years after being announced. CD Projekt Red cannot afford to let the success of2077, Phantom Liberty, and evenCyberpunk Edgerunnersto fizzle out during this long wait. A half-sequel could be the perfect measure to avoid this.
Cyberpunk 2077 Already Has the Perfect Blueprint For a Half-Sequel
The lore ofCyberpunkas a franchise is perfect for a half-sequel, going much deeper than Night City and what was explored in2077. This would give aCyberpunkhalf-sequel a huge creative license of characters and settings, but it would probably be wise if the project stayed somewhat linked to the events of2077itself. An obvious route for this title would be tofocus completely on Johnny Silverhandas a main character, long before he comes into contact with2077’s V.
The half-sequel could alternatively tell a story set during Silverhand’s peak of notoriety in the 2020s, where the player controls a brand-new character who witnesses these important events first-hand. This would allow players toexperience Night City in a fascinating new time period, with2077itself only briefly showing how the location felt fifty years prior to the main story. Of course, this would allow CD Projekt Red to reuse a lot of assets by maintaining Night City as the core location, which is perfect for the lesser resources available to a half-sequel. With the future ofCyberpunkcurrently being up in the air, a half-sequel may be the perfect way to steady the ship for the time being.
