Cyberpunk 2077‘s Netflix anime adaptation, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, arrived at perhaps the perfect time for the game. During a period when interest in Cyberpunk 2077 was at an all-time low due to its buggy launch, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners went a long way to make the game popular again. Although the show was a prequel to Cyberpunk 2077 and featured an entirely new cast of characters, it captured the vibe of the game quite well, and it had a compelling-enough story to stand on its own two feet. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners was among the few video game adaptations that appealed to both gaming enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts alike.
Following the success of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, CD Projekt Red confirmed in August 2024 that a second anime adaptation of Cyberpunk 2077 was in the works. This new adaptation was later revealed at Anime Expo 2025 as Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2. Despite having a “2” in its name, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 is not a direct sequel to the original Edgerunners. Instead, it will feature a completely different storyline set in Night City, as well as a new cast of characters. Since the show is going to be separate from Edgerunners, CD Projekt Red and the animation company behind it, Studio Trigger, will have the opportunity to right one of its predecessor’s only wrongs.
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Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 Should Be More Connected to the Games
The First Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Did Not Have a Lot of Connections to Cyberpunk 2077
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners was widely regarded as an outstanding show, but if there’s one issue that it arguably suffered from, it was a lack of connections to the plot of Cyberpunk 2077. Although they both take place in the same timeline, the stories of the anime and the game have very little in common with each other. Some may see this as a good thing; standalone stories, after all, make it easier for viewers to enjoy a piece of media without having any prior knowledge of its source material. That being said, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners could have benefited from being a bit more connected to Cyberpunk 2077.
None of the main characters from Cyberpunk 2077, like V, Johnny Silverhand, Jackie Welles, Goro Takemura, and Panam Palmer, have a significant presence in Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. The only exception to this rule is, of course, Adam Smasher, the Arasaka mercenary who serves as a major antagonist in both Cyberpunk 2077 and Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. While some of Cyberpunk 2077‘s characters do have some minor cameos in Edgerunners, they don’t play a real role in the anime’s plot.
There are a few locations from Cyberpunk 2077 that appear in Edgerunners, as well as the respective gangs that rule them, but most of the places in the anime are not directly present in the game.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners and Cyberpunk 2077 Could Have Been Better By Sharing More Content
Despite having an endearing set of characters, almost none of the individuals from Edgerunners show up in Cyberpunk 2077, not even in flashbacks. Although CD Projekt Red did add some Edgerunners content to Cyberpunk 2077 after the anime’s launch, most of these features amount to nothing more than Easter eggs and cosmetics. It would have been nice if there were some actual questlines in Cyberpunk 2077 that featured the protagonists of Edgerunners, like Lucy and Rebecca, in some way, showing the impact of Edgerunners‘ events. Likewise, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners could have felt more like a proper prequel if it featured characters like Goro Takemura or Jackie Welles in supporting roles, shedding light on their backstories.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 Should Lay the Groundwork for Project Orion’s Plot
CD Projekt Red, Studio Trigger, and Netflix haven’t announced when Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 will be released yet, but it’s likely that the anime won’t come out for another year or so. While the upcoming sequel to Cyberpunk 2077, Project Orion, probably won’t be released by then, CD Projekt Red could add some clues about the plot of the game to Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2. If Edgerunners 2 actually introduces some of the new characters and plot points of Project Orion, players will have an even greater incentive to watch the anime.
Cyberpunk 2077
6/10
- Released
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December 10, 2020
- ESRB
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M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
- Engine
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REDengine 4