Report: CD Projekt Red Partnered With Shantae Devs on a 2.5D Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Brawler
CD Projekt Red has been hard at work expanding the Cyberpunk 2077 universe. Alongside Project Orion, the highly anticipated sequel to the 2020 game, fans are also looking forward to a new season of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, the acclaimed Netflix animated spin-off produced by Studio Trigger that is set to return this year.
However, those might not be the only titles in the pipeline for the dystopian franchise. We have discovered that CDPR had been collaborating with WayForward, the studio best known for the Shantae series, on a smaller side game based on the aforementioned spin-off show.
WayForward and CDPR’s Unannounced ‘Project Gemini’
Details on this previously unknown project originate from the portfolio of a former WayForward developer, whose name we are withholding for privacy reasons. The developer’s resume details an unannounced CDPR Cyberpunk R&D project codenamed ‘Gemini’ that was in the works at WayForward between 2025 and 2026.
Given this timeframe and the R&D label, it is safe to say the game was in the very early stages of development. This label typically represents a phase where studios prototype mechanics, build technical frameworks, and test concepts before greenlighting full production.
Unfortunately, the developer’s resume doesn’t clarify the project’s current status, which could easily mean it’s a scrapped concept. Despite this, the portfolio provides some interesting tidbits regarding the dev’s contributions, including an internal project logo that features the Cyberpunk: Edgerunners branding right alongside the “Gemini” codename.
Based on the brief description provided on the website, Project Gemini was conceptualized as a “rollback-driven” 2.5D brawler. This immediately brings to mind WayForward’s previous work on the River City Girls franchise. Considering that both the game series and Edgerunners share a high-energy anime aesthetic, blending the show’s universe into a 2.5D beat-’em-up certainly feels fitting.
Beyond the brawler premise, the developer’s notes reveal a few noteworthy technical features. Mentions of a “rollback-safe architecture” and “online transport integration” indicate that the game was being built with online multiplayer and rollback netcode in mind, features also included in River City Girls’ latest entry.
Separate findings also reveal that WayForward had an unannounced Unreal Engine 5 project in the works based on a licensed IP. The team delivered a vertical slice for this project, but according to a developer, funding was delayed, leading to halted development and a round of layoffs at the studio in September of last year.
Whether or not this specific project was Gemini remains unknown, though we do know the mystery UE5 title was in active development during at least 2025. This timeline aligns closely, given that the Cyberpunk title was worked on through early 2026 according to the portfolio data. Even if the R&D project was ultimately cancelled during strategic realignments, the pitch alone shows that CDPR was actively looking to expand the Edgerunners IP beyond the screen.
This wouldn’t be the first time CDPR has looked outside its own walls to build on its core franchises. We previously reported on the Polish publisher’s interest in partnering with external developers, such as Scopely’s potential involvement in a multiplayer Witcher game for PC and mobile devices. It remains to be seen if that title will beat CDPR to the punch before the studio releases its own in-house multiplayer spin-off, Project Sirius.
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