From fan mods to a major project: a team of former modders is working on Cyberpunk 2

In parallel with The Witcher 4's development, CD Projekt RED is actively pushing forward with the Cyberpunk sequel, and its creation involves specialists with an unusual background for a major studio. Assistant Game Director Pawel Sasko explained that the Cyberpunk 2 team includes many people who began their careers in modding.

This approach is nothing new for the Polish studio. In the past, CDPR has attracted talented enthusiasts who distinguished themselves through user-created mods. One of the most famous examples is the developer who recreated the prologue of the first Witcher in the third installment, after which he was hired by the studio and eventually rose to the position of Senior Quest Designer. However, as it turns out, this is far from an isolated incident.

According to Sasko, there are approximately twelve former modders working on Cyberpunk 2. Specifically, the team responsible for quests on the Orion project consists of approximately 24 people, half of whom came from the modding community. These aren't just fans of CD Projekt RED games—some of the new hires previously worked with mods for other projects, including StarCraft.

Sasko emphasizes that modding experience often provides excellent training for future developers, and many of the studio's strongest specialists began with custom game customizations. He also believes that for those who dream of entering the gaming industry, deep immersion in modding remains a realistic and effective path to a professional career.