Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 Is Set in 2078, and Fans Think It Hints at Cyberpunk 2077's Canon Ending

Ever finish Cyberpunk 2077, stare at that open-ended finale, and wonder which ending actually "counts"? You're not alone — and Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 just tossed fresh fuel on that fire.

CD PROJEKT RED's lore and worldbuilding lead Patrick Mills confirmed that the ten-episode anime takes place in 2078, one year after the main events of Cyberpunk 2077. He cleared things up on Bluesky after noticing fans assumed the opposite. "I saw a lot of people think the story of season 2 takes place before Cyberpunk 2077, but that's not the case," he wrote. "It takes place in 2078. Let time move forward, time doesn't stand still in the Cyberpunk world."

That one-year gap matters. Cyberpunk 2077 hands you multiple endings, and Phantom Liberty adds even more branches, so V's fate and Arasaka's grip on Night City can shake out very differently depending on your choices. With Edgerunners 2 showing a changed Night City — including a shift in Arasaka's influence — players are now squinting at the screen, trying to figure out which ending the show quietly treats as canon.

Here's the thing, though: don't expect a straight answer. Edgerunners 2 rolls with a brand-new cast, telling Night City's story through a different group of people. That setup lets the show explore the fallout of the game's events without ever confirming what happened to V. It's a lot like how the Fallout TV series handles its timeline — continuing the world without forcing one specific game ending into canon. Whether Cyberpunk ever picks a definitive path is still up to CDPR.

One standout in the new crew is Roman, a kid obsessed with retro culture. In a world where braindances rule entertainment, he's still in love with old-school movies and carries an old-fashioned camera everywhere, trying to capture something real. Compared to teammates with clearer backstories and tragic pasts, Roman is basically a blank slate — his dad runs a barbershop, trusts him completely, and lets him roam Night City freely.

Showrunner and writer Bartosz Sztybor told IGN that early scripts had way more Roman-and-dad dialogue, but the team pulled back. "Roman is like a touch of innocence in this weird, violent city," he explained. "He represents happiness, trust, and other good things." Sztybor even promised the Cyberpunk series will never reveal Roman's background — it stays secret forever.

He also shared that CDPR's original pitch to studio TRIGGER was a love letter to 1990s pop culture, with multiple characters on separate paths that gradually converge. Working with director Kai Ikarashi, the team wove in 1980s and '90s film culture, using a movie-loving kid as the thread tying everyone together.

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 hit Netflix on October 20, 2026, and Cyberpunk 2077 rolled out its anime-themed 2.5 update on the 22nd, adding a prison side quest, cyberware customization, dual-wielding, and native mod support on consoles. Meanwhile, CDPR is working on Cyberpunk 2 and a live-action film that won't retread Cyberpunk 2077's story — so don't count on Keanu. Which ending do you think the show is quietly pointing to? Will you be picking this up?