Cyberpunk 2 Co-Op? CDPR Eyes Its Own GTA Online (And That’s a Risky Move)
Multiplayer is the ghost that’s haunted the Cyberpunk franchise since day one. Promised and then scrapped for the original, it might just be making a comeback in the sequel—if a fresh CDPR job listing is anything to go by.
History repeats itself at CD Projekt Red. Back in 2020, the studio pledged a multiplayer mode for Cyberpunk 2077, only to quietly bury it after a disastrous launch. Six years later, while CDPR keeps surprising fans with updates for the first game, a Lead Quest Programmer job offer for Cyberpunk 2 has reignited the debate. The listing explicitly calls for experience with multiplayer network architecture and client-server synchronization—enough to set Reddit ablaze. CDPR, for its part, has stayed completely silent.
Image credit: CD Projekt Red
The job listing that exposes CDPR’s ambitions
Let’s break it down. CD Projekt Red is looking for a Lead Quest Programmer for Cyberpunk 2. Nothing unusual there—until you see the desired skills: a “solid understanding of multiplayer network architecture and client-server synchronization for game state and quests”. That’s not just cloud saves; it’s quests designed to run online. It’s hard not to see the shadow of a co-op mode—or even fully integrated multiplayer missions—lurking here.
But here’s a key detail: a Reddit user pointed out that these network skills are listed as “desired” rather than “required”. That’s a big distinction. It could mean CDPR is just exploring multiplayer, not making it a core pillar—or maybe they’re casting a wide net for versatile talent. Still, with Cyberpunk 2077 just breaking a new record for concurrent players, the timing of this listing is bound to fuel speculation.
GTA Online: the model publishers dream of
If Cyberpunk 2 does go multiplayer, what would it look like? On Reddit and among analysts, one name keeps coming up: GTA Online. Rockstar’s online mode has raked in billions of dollars over more than a decade, turning a single-player game into a money-printing juggernaut. It’s easy to imagine some CDPR execs eyeing that model with envy.
But Cyberpunk isn’t GTA. It’s a narrative RPG built on moral choices, branching dialogue, and a dense, oppressive atmosphere. Bolting on a multiplayer sandbox would be a massive challenge. As many players point out, iconic mechanics like the Sandevistan’s time-slowing effect would need a total rework to function in real-time with other players. Sure, switching to Unreal Engine 5 gives CDPR a stronger technical foundation, but the real question isn’t just technical—it’s about the game’s very identity.
Fans don’t want a live service
The r/GamingLeaksAndRumours community didn’t waste any time reacting, and “cautiously pessimistic” is probably the kindest summary. User randomnpc202 nails the mood: “I just hope multiplayer doesn’t mess with single-player.” Another, scratchy22, adds: “That’s always the case, but in the best scenarios, you barely notice—see Baldur’s Gate 3.”
https://www.reddit.com/r/GamingLeaksAndRumours/comments/1xgng8s/cd_projekt_red_has_already_confirmed_cyberpunk_2
by u/ in r/GamingLeaksAndRumours
The community’s examples show the divide. On one side, Baldur’s Gate 3 and Elden Ring—both Game of the Year winners—proved co-op can coexist with a stellar solo experience. On the other, the still-warm corpses of failed live services—Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, Marvel’s Avengers—remind us that tacking on multiplayer to a game that doesn’t need it rarely ends well. Players’ main worries keep coming up:
- Development resources pulled from single-player to multiplayer
- Game design compromised to fit online play
- Risk of aggressive GTA Online-style monetization
- Overblown ambitions that, like in 2020, could get axed mid-development
CDPR has already failed once
Because precedent weighs heavy here. The Cyberpunk 2077 multiplayer wasn’t just a rumor—it was officially announced by CDPR, then flat-out abandoned. The disastrous December 2020 launch forced the studio to rally every team just to save the base game. The result: a single DLC (Phantom Liberty) delivered three years later, and a multiplayer mode that never saw the light of day. As one Reddit user put it, “This reeks of early ambition that’ll get cut halfway through when it proves too hard to mesh with the main vision.”
Will this time be different? CDPR has opened a dedicated Boston studio, with the same lead devs as Cyberpunk 2077. The switch to Unreal Engine 5 means no more headaches from their in-house REDengine. But the studio still has zero real multiplayer experience on its titles, and some of its best writers are now busy with The Witcher 4 and Project Hadar—with The Witcher 4 pulling in part of the team. Officially, CDPR remains silent: they’ve neither confirmed nor denied any multiplayer for Cyberpunk 2.
If Cyberpunk 2 ever does go multiplayer, the answer won’t come from a job listing but from a proper announcement. The next big CDPR events—or the group’s financial results, which often force some roadmap reveals—will be the real test of these network ambitions. Until then, the studio would do well to remember what its community wants most: unforgettable stories, told their way.
