Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 almost didn’t happen. After season one, Studio Trigger said it was too tired to continue, and only a chance conversation at Lucca Comics and Games, the festival held in Lucca, Italy, changed its mind.
Showrunner, writer, and producer Bartosz Sztybor of CD Projekt Red shared the story after a panel at this year’s festival. He also explained why season two looks nothing like a standard sequel.
How the Sequel Got Made
- Trigger said no. After season one, the studio told CD Projekt Red it was simply too tired.
- Lucca changed things. Right after season one’s release, the teams met at Lucca. Trigger said it wasn’t that tired anymore and maybe they should do it.
- A condition came attached. Trigger wanted a fresh story, not a classic sequel. Sztybor agreed.
- The pitch landed. Two months later he presented it. Executive producer Saya Elder recalls everyone loving the idea of bringing Pulp Fiction and Léon: The Professional into Night City.
Why Season Two Is a “Mirror”
Everyone involved agreed that another love story with a zero-to-hero arc would feel like a cash grab. So season two mirrors season one. It uses similar themes, sometimes the same ones, but from a different perspective, with a new cast.
Every character has a clear emotional goal and real flaws. Season one’s emotional core, David’s bond with his mother, came from Sztybor’s own life. The Japanese team connected with it too.
Writing Anime vs. Live Action
| Season one | Season two |
|---|---|
| Scripts sent to Trigger for direct adaptation | A 20-page treatment first |
| Trigger found the writing “too live-action” | Weekly meetings for a year and a half |
| Back-and-forth over anime pacing, like dialogue leading into sakuga action | Trips to Japan to go through the story scene by scene |
Many differences turned out to be cultural. A scene could mean one thing to Sztybor and the opposite to the Japanese team. The shared aim was an “HBO narrative for anime.”
Will There Be a Season Three?
Not confirmed. Sztybor says there are always stories to tell, but the rule stands: the show continues only if the story deserves it.
Lore Notes for Fans
- V isn’t that special. V has flaws and is also dealing with Johnny Silverhand’s influence.
- Cyberpsychosis works like addiction. It’s not a meter filling up. One implant can break one person, while Adam Smasher handles huge amounts of chrome.
- Open endings over happy or sad ones. Sztybor is tired of the three-act structure and Hollywood’s last-second airport rescues. He cites a Slavic sense of melancholy, shared with The Witcher, and 1980s–90s films like Alien.
Quick Watch Guide
- Both seasons stream on Netflix.
- Watch season one first; season two is in constant dialogue with it.
- Expect noir tone and open endings, not neat resolutions.
Heads-up: both seasons include graphic violence and mature themes. Check the age rating before watching with younger viewers.