Gabe Amatangelo of CD Projekt RED has been instrumental in the development of Cyberpunk 2077 and is currently in charge of its expansion, Phantom Liberty. However, he acknowledged overseeing the follow-up, Project Orion, in an interview with Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier. Instead of the company’s exclusive REDengine, it is created on Unreal Engine.
Amatangelo also discusses initiatives to enhance corporate culture, such as the construction of a Boston office to draw in seasoned developers in the country. Regarding crunch, a contentious issue during the basic game’s development, the team has been attempting to avoid it in the future. Amatangelo affirms that it has adhered to this while making sure individuals don’t burn out (and are even informed if they have been working for extended periods of time).
Fortunately, there is currently a fairly healthy work-life balance, he remarked. Employees may request more hours, but he will only give them under certain circumstances. The same was confirmed by lower-level employees in discussions with Schreier, although they added that “work-life balance at the company remains an ongoing, complicated issue.” Time will tell if this develops into a problem as we get closer to the release of the sequel.
Despite not having a set release date, Project Orion seeks to “prove the full power and potential of the Cyberpunk universe.” Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty will be released on September 26 for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. Check back for more information.