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Cyberpunk: Edgerunners was reportedly being turned into a 2.5D brawler by CD Projekt Red and Shantae studio WayForward, but its fate is uncertain
Developed over time first seen 4 months ago
CD Projekt Red and Shantae developer WayForward reportedly collaborated on an unannounced side project based on Cyberpunk 2077's anime spin-off, Edgerunners, according to a report from MP1st. Codenamed Gemini, the game was conceived as a small-scale 2.5D brawler, though it remains unclear whether the project is still active or has been shelved, a notable gap given the wider anticipation around a full Cyberpunk 2077 sequel and CD Projekt Red's expanding output.
Details of Gemini emerged from the portfolio of a former WayForward developer, whose identity was withheld for privacy, describing it as a "rollback-driven 2.5D brawler" featuring "rollback-safe architecture" and "online transport integration", pointing to planned online multiplayer support in the style of WayForward titles such as Double Dragon Neon and River City Girls. The project was reportedly in very early development at WayForward between 2025 and 2026, but its current status could not be confirmed. Separately, MP1st noted WayForward had also been working on an Unreal Engine 5 project last year that stalled due to funding delays, leading to layoffs after a vertical slice was delivered. The report lands amid a busy period for the newly rebranded CD Projekt Red, which is juggling Edgerunners Season 2, a Cyberpunk trading card game, The Witcher 3's Songs of the Past expansion, and continued work on The Witcher 4 and the Cyberpunk 2077 sequel.
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In short
- CD Projekt Red and WayForward reportedly worked on Cyberpunk: Edgerunners brawler "Gemini"
- Project's current status and future remain unconfirmed
- Report surfaced via a former WayForward developer's portfolio
How this story developed
- 4 months ago A report from MP1st claims CD Projekt Red and Shantae developer WayForward were collaborating on an unannounced side project based on Cyberpunk 2077's anime spin-off, Edgerunners.
- 4 months ago CD Projekt Red and Shantae developer WayForward reportedly collaborated on an unannounced side project based on Cyberpunk 2077's anime spin-off, Edgerunners, according to a report from MP1st.
Explained simply
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is the acclaimed anime series set in the world of CD Projekt Red's video game Cyberpunk 2077, produced with animation studio Trigger. CD Projekt Red is the Polish developer behind the Cyberpunk and Witcher game franchises, while WayForward is a US studio best known for the Shantae series of platform games. A "2.5D brawler" refers to a beat-em-up style game that uses 3D character models moving along a flat, side-on plane.
The claim that these two studios were working together on an Edgerunners game comes from MP1st, a games news outlet, based on details found in a former WayForward developer's portfolio rather than any official announcement. Neither CD Projekt Red nor WayForward has confirmed the project, referred to internally as "Gemini," and it is not known whether work on it is continuing.
This report lands as CD Projekt Red is managing several other Cyberpunk and Witcher-related projects simultaneously, including a second season of the Edgerunners show and the long-awaited Witcher 4, making it relevant background for anyone trying to gauge how much the studio has on its plate and what might happen to lower-profile side projects like this one.
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