Cyberpunk 2077's Project Orion shouldn't rely on a notable franchise trend

Cyberpunk 2077s secretive sequel, codenamed Project Orion, has been a popular talking point since CD Projekt Red confirmed that its early development stages have officially begun. Now that Cyberpunk 2077 is a much better experience than it was at its infamous launch, a follow-up game promises. Not only that, but last year's Phantom freedom The DLC expanded the base game in a wonderful way.

Since the sequel is in its very early stages, not much has been confirmed about what Project Orion plans to offer players. From the game's protagonist to the potential setting, Project Orion remains a big question mark, but a feature could be likely. Cyberpunk 2077 and Phantom LIberty both featured high-profile celebrities as main characters. Keanu Reeves as Johnny Silverhand and Idris Elba as Solomon Reed were focal points in the franchise's marketing. It's quite possible that Project Orion will follow in the same footsteps, but it shouldn't have to.

Project Orion should not have to use celebrity-focused marketing

The cyberpunk franchise now has room to grow past its established trend

Celebrities can be fun and exciting, but when Project Orion is ready to be released to the masses, it will no longer be necessary to use these notable faces as its main marketing method. Cyberpunk 2077 has now built a reputation outside of those cameos, proving to be a compelling franchise, even without the pressure of celebrity recognition. There are many fascinating characters in it Cyberpunk 2077s lore, and Project Orion is likely to expand the list even more. When it comes to CD Projekt Red's approach to potential fresh characters, letting them exist on their own as compelling NPCs instead of giving them a celebrity likeness might be a stronger way to connect players to those characters.

Cyberpunk 2077
also features cameos from Hideo Kojima, Grimes and various streamers.

The double-edged sword of celebrity presence in video games

It's true that celebrity likeness and appearances in video games can ultimately help bring attention to a title, but it can also take away from the game's world. For some, it can be hard to really feel connected to the characters Johnny Silverhand and Solomon Reed because they only see Keanu Reeves and Idris Elba. Celebrities may have their place in gaming, but it can also completely break the immersion. Now Project Orion will have the success Cyberpunk 2077 behind that, keeping celebrity appearances out of the game altogether might be a better way to make Night City feel more realistic.

For RPGs like Cyberpunk 2077player immersion is meant to be at the forefront of the experience, and seeing someone's favorite actor or musician can be distracting. Celebrities also run the risk of feeling like a gimmick instead of actually being useful to the story when they add up. The story of Project Orion is a big mystery, but making each character feel as unique as possible could better anchor players.

Celebrity appearances don't have to leave Cyberpunk 2077 entirely

Balance Cameos in a more meaningful way

If CD Projekt Red really wants to keep adding more high profile celebrities Cyberpunk 2077opting for a voiceover performance while refraining from using their likeness can be a happy medium. Every corner of Night City is filled with exciting NPCs to interact with, and having strong performances behind them is always a plus, whether they're popular celebrities or not.

Thankfully, there's at least plenty of balance between the celebrity faces and original NPCs Cyberpunk 2077, so even if Project Orion has big cameos, it probably won't be overwhelming. As Cyberpunk 2077 franchise is moving forward, its upcoming sequel will have plenty of hype to back it up, celebrity involvement or not.