The anime returns with a new director, new story—and maybe a game crossover too?
The Burnout Was Real—Until Now
For Cyberpunk: Edgerunners fans, the past two years have felt like the aftermath of a Sandevistan burnout—blistering, abrupt, and over far too soon. The 2022 Netflix anime from CD PROJEKT RED and Studio TRIGGER ended as definitively as it began: a heartbreak speedrun through Night City that left viewers shattered and satisfied. But as of this weekend’s Anime Expo, that silence just got hacked.
It’s official: Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 is in production. Once again, CD PROJEKT RED has teamed with animation chaos agents Studio TRIGGER for a new standalone anime set in the Cyberpunk 2077 universe. While David and Lucy’s story won’t continue, the new series promises another raw, high-speed descent into the tech-sick soul of Night City.
New Director, Same City, Different Pain
Hiroyuki Imaishi, who helmed the original, made a surprise appearance at Anime Expo to pass the torch to Kai Ikarashi, a rising director making his debut. Ikarashi—who worked on both Edgerunners and SSSS.Gridman—introduced his take via pre-recorded message, teasing a more intimate, emotionally jagged revenge tale. He called it “a chronicle of redemption and revenge,” suggesting this season won’t just echo the first, but mutate it.
A new poster and logo dropped onstage, with CDPR showrunner Bartosz Sztybor returning as head writer and narrative architect. “David’s story might be over,” Sztybor said, “but there’s plenty more to discover in Night City.”
TRIGGER’s A-Team Reloads
The new season brings back some key creative minds. Character designer Kanno Ichigo (Promare, Edgerunners) and screenwriter Masahiko Otsuka (Gurren Lagann, Promare) are both onboard. The result? Expect another round of kinetic visuals, blood-slick pacing, and beautiful trauma wrapped in acid-neon palettes.
The Game’s Not Done Either
This anime update might be just one node in a larger network. Last month, Cyberpunk 2077 surprised players with the announcement of Patch 2.3. It was planned for June 26, but a few weeks later— in true CD Projekt RED fashion— was delayed. Hopefully this means that they’re really beefing it up, polishing it, and bringing the noise to what might be the last update to their Night City until their next Cyberpunk game (codename ORION) releases in a few years (or more, since it’s CD Projekt RED).
A Franchise Reboot In Disguise?
The silence from CDPR was almost too perfect—until it wasn’t. In the weeks leading up to Anime Expo, Edgerunners social channels roared back to life. Combine that with the game’s new update and a closed-door teaser screening at the Peacock Theater, and this starts to look like more than just a one-off sequel. It feels like a coordinated relaunch of the franchise across media. Here’s hoping.
One More Run
No release date yet. No footage outside the Anime Expo teaser. But if Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 keeps the pain, pace, and rawness of the original—and adds new depth through a more personal narrative—fans might be in for a heartbreak they didn’t know they needed.
Keep your optics sharp. The next glitch might be real.