CD Projekt Red’s ‘Cyberpunk 2077’ Anime, ‘Cyberpunk: Edgerunners,’ Hits Netflix in 2022
CD Projekt Red will soon expand its Cyberpunk content into television. In collaboration with Netflix and animation company Studio Trigger, the video game developer plans to release a Cyberpunk 2077 anime called Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. CD Projekt Red has not yet shared many details about the show, but Netflix confirmed on Nov. 30 that it’s expected to arrive in 2022. Here’s what we know so far.
What is ‘Cyberpunk: Edgerunners’ about?
Cyberpunk 2077, an action-adventure game, is based on the universe created in the 1988 tabletop role-playing game Cyberpunk. The game takes place in a futuristic open-world setting called Night City and follows a mercenary named V on various missions involving hacking, machinery, combat, and more. Along the way, players meet and interact with various non-playable characters (NPCs). Perhaps the most notable NPC is Johnny Silverhand, whose likeness and voice are based on Keanu Reeves.
According to a recent Netflix blog post, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners takes place in the same universe but tells a standalone story. The 10-episode series follows a “street kid” attempting to navigate life in a dystopian world filled with new technology. Here’s the full synopsis:
The animated series tells a standalone, 10-episode story about a street kid trying to survive in a technology and body modification-obsessed city of the future. Having everything to lose, he chooses to stay alive by becoming an edgerunner — a mercenary outlaw also known as a cyberpunk.
Netflix gave ‘Cyberpunk: Edgerunners’ a 2022 release window
In the same blog post, Netflix confirmed that Cyberpunk: Edgerunners would hit the streaming service sometime in 2022. However, it did not provide an exact release date or even an estimated window.
According to Netflix, CD Projekt Red began working on the concept in 2018. Members of CD Projekt Red’s team will produce the anime, specifically those who worked on Cyberpunk 2077 and the studio’s other popular title, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Meanwhile, Studio Trigger will “bring the world of Cyberpunk to life with their signature, vibrant style.”
CD Projekt Red is still working to fix ‘Cyberpunk 2077’
It’s worth noting that CD Projekt Red is also still busy working on Cyberpunk 2077. The game made headlines in December 2020 for its disastrous launch, as players found a myriad of bugs and glitches — some of which rendered Cyberpunk 2077 unplayable. The studio faced lawsuits and a wave of refund requests as fans and investors realized the game was released unfinished.
Now, a year later, CD Projekt Red is still releasing major updates to fix Cyberpunk 2077’s problems. Thankfully, the game has improved, but there’s still more progress to come.
The updates meant that CD Projekt Red had to push back Cyberpunk 2077’s Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 release. According to the studio’s recent press release, the next-gen update is expected to arrive in the first quarter of 2022. If that schedule holds true, then Cyberpunk: Edgrerunners may come in the second half of the year or even sooner.
Stay tuned to Showbiz Cheat Sheet for more updates on Cyberpunk: Edgerunners.
