Cyberpunk 2077DLCPhantom Libertylead Gabe Amatangelo reportedly confirmed that he will be continuing on to direct CD Projekt Red’s plannedCyberpunk 2077sequel. WhileCyberpunk 2077has had its share of issues since it launched in 2020, CD Projekt Red appears to be now be confident in the direction of the series.Phantom Libertywill be the start of a new direction forCyberpunk 2077, with Amatangelo carrying that momentum intoCyberpunk 2077 2.
Cyberpunk 2077had a tumultuous development cycle that ultimately led to multiple key members of the team leaving CD Projekt Red entirely. That includes both Mateusz Kanik, Konrad Tomaszkiewicz, and Mateusz Tomaszkiewicz, who each played key directorial roles inCyberpunk 2077’s development. EvenCyberpunk 2077’s game director through launch ultimately stepped down from continued support of the project, asAdam Badowski instead became CD Projekt Red’s Studio Head. Gabe Amatangelo took onCyberpunk 2077’s continued direction in 2021, just a year after being hired by CD Projekt Red.
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Now Amatangelo is firmly entrenched as the director ofCyberpunk 2077’s future at CD Projekt Red. Speaking with Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, Amatangelo now says that he will be directing thesequel toCyberpunk 2077, which was announced in October 2022. All that’s been said about the sequel is that its codename is Project Orion and CD Projekt Red will be building it on Unreal Engine 5. Needless to say, the sequel will require a tremendous amount of work and is years away from being properly revealed.
As for how Amatangelo became the lead ofCyberpunk 2077’s future at CD Projekt Red, it starts at the game’s state of development in 2020. Amatangelo is an industry veteran, spending 10 years at EA between Mythic Entertainment and BioWare, followed by 4 years as QC Games as game director and co-founder. In 2020, whenCyberpunk 2077development was floundering, Amatangelo was brought on as creative director to help the team refocus. He’d shown the experience necessary to becomeCyberpunk 2077’s new game director when Badowski stepped down in 2021.
Phantom Liberty’s development since Amatangelo took over appears to have proven the new game director’s worth in the years since. The DLC launches in September and will overhaulCyberpunk 2077entirely. It’s taken over three years, but fans are excited aboutCyberpunk 2077again.Phantom Libertyisn’t even out and no reviews have been written, but CD Projekt Red appears confident in Amatangelo’s work.
Amatangelo appears to be very happy with the situation, too. He notes to Bloomberg that CD Projekt’s board gave the team all the time and resources it needed to “make it right.” That doesn’t only mean makingCyberpunk 2077a better game, though. Amatangelo says he’s worked toimprove CD Projekt Red’s culture, too. He saysPhantom Libertyhas been developed without crunch, and that developers now have a “very healthy work-life balance.” The sequel toCyberpunk 2077will hopefully maintain that throughout its development.
Cyberpunk 2077is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.Phantom Libertylaunches on September 26.
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