When Cyberpunk: Edgerunners became one of Netflix's biggest anime hits, the temptation to bring back protagonist David Martinez for a reunion with Lucy was strong. But the creators behind Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 chose a different path.
In an interview at Anime Expo, story creator and writer Bartosz Sztybor and producer Saya Elder explained that the biggest challenge wasn't topping the first season—it was resisting the urge to repeat it.
"I'm still having nightmares about it," Sztybor said with a laugh. "It's like, what should we do? Should we do romance again? No, we shouldn't. But then you start thinking too much about what was the core of Edgerunners, what people like, and what you should repeat."
The team eventually decided to stop trying to answer those questions. "That's why we said, 'Okay, fuck it, let's do something different. Let's risk it. Let's not think about the past,'" Sztybor said.
That philosophy became the guiding principle for Edgerunners 2. Instead of a forced continuation of David's story, Sztybor describes the sequel as a deliberate mirror image of the first season.
"Season 1 was from zero to the hero," Sztybor said. "Season 2 is from hero to zero. It's 'What if David stayed alive 20 years later?' There's a different approach to sacrifice, even the relationship of a kid with their parents. Season 2 answers the same questions, but in a different way."
The sequel revisits the first season's central themes—sacrifice, ambition, family, and survival in Night City—but from the opposite direction. Sztybor is less interested in recreating what worked before and more focused on exploring why those themes resonated.
Despite fan demands for David's return, CD Projekt Red never seriously considered resurrecting him. "I really don't think about the fans at all," Elder said. "Because problems begin when you start thinking, 'Oh, I need to make a show that fans will like.' Then you go, 'Okay, what do fans like? Oh, so many people tweet that they want David back.'"
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 is set to premiere on Netflix later this year.