In September 2022, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners electrified audiences on Netflix with its neon-soaked, high-octane plunge into the gritty depths of Night City. Crafted by CD Projekt Red, the creators of Cyberpunk 2077, and animated by the acclaimed Studio Trigger, the anime served as a prequel set roughly a year before the game’s events. The 10-episode series followed David Martinez, a young street kid turned mercenary, and his crew navigating a dystopian world of corporate corruption, cybernetic enhancements, and relentless violence. Praised for its stunning animation, emotional resonance, and seamless expansion of the Cyberpunk 2077 universe, the first season garnered a perfect 100% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes and reignited enthusiasm for the game amid its post-launch recovery.
Today, CD Projekt Red and Studio Trigger unveiled a stunning teaser trailer for Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 at Anime Expo in Los Angeles, igniting excitement for a new standalone story set to explore the raw, unforgiving heart of Night City. Revealed during a livestreamed panel titled “Cyberpunk: Edgerunners — Behind the Scenes With its Creators,” the announcement confirmed that the second season is in production, accompanied by striking promotional art by Studio Trigger’s Ichigo Kanno. The teaser and panel have set the stage for what promises to be a darker, more intense chapter in the Cyberpunk saga.
The Anime Expo panel, hosted by YouTuber Joey “The Anime Man” Bizinger, featured key figures from the original series, including writer and producer Bartosz Sztybor, voice actors Emi Lo (Lucy Kushinada) and Zach Aguilar (David Martinez), and a special appearance by Cyberpunk: Edgerunners director Hiroyuki Imaishi. The group shared insights into the first season’s impact before Sztybor announced the new season, with the freshly released teaser trailer showcasing Studio Trigger’s signature style. Imaishi revealed a significant change: directorial duties for Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 will be led by Kai Ikarashi, who previously worked in the art department for the first season and directed its standout episode, “Girl On Fire.” Ikarashi appeared via a recorded video message, introducing a “Director’s Voice” featurette that teased the upcoming season’s tone and themes.
Sztybor, known for his work on both the anime and Cyberpunk 2077, didn’t hold back on setting expectations for the sequel’s emotional weight. “I just wanted to make the whole world sad… when people are sad, I’m a bit happy,” he quipped, before adding that this new 10-episode season will be “…of course, sadder, but it will be also darker, more bloody, and more raw.” His comments suggest a shift from the first season’s romanticized take on the edgerunner lifestyle to a grittier, more unforgiving narrative that strips away any veneer of glamour.
Here's a stunning poster artwork by Ichigo Kanno from Studio Trigger:
What Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 Will Be About
Unlike the first season, which centered on David Martinez’s tragic rise and fall, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 will introduce a fresh cast of characters and a standalone story set within the sprawling, chaotic world of Cyberpunk 2077. Netflix provided the following description for the sequel:
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 presents a new standalone 10-episode story from the world of Cyberpunk 2077— a raw chronicle of redemption and revenge. In a city that thrives in the spotlight of violence, one question remains: when the world is blinded by spectacle, what extremes do you have to go to make your story matter?
This description hints at a narrative that grapples with the cost of carving out a legacy in Night City, where fame and infamy are often bought with blood. Sztybor emphasized that while David’s story is complete, Night City remains a rich tapestry of untold tales, and the new season will explore themes of redemption and revenge with a visceral intensity.
While no release date was confirmed, the existence of promotional art and a teaser trailer suggests production is well underway. CD Projekt Red’s announcement also clarified that Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 will stream exclusively on Netflix, continuing the partnership that made the first season a global hit. As anticipation builds, the promise of a “darker, more bloody, and more raw” journey through Night City sets the stage for another unforgettable chapter in this cyberpunk epic.
