Cyberpunk Edgerunners 2 timeline places the new Netflix anime in 2078, after Cyberpunk 2077 and roughly two years after the original Edgerunners story. CD Projekt Red loremaster Patrick Mills confirmed the year following the October 20 premiere, ending speculation that the second series might actually be another prequel.
The game’s new Clampdown quest is tied to this story and takes place before the anime, even though Update 2.5 arrived two days after the Netflix release. Here is the in-universe order, the connections worth knowing and how to watch or play the stories without confusing their dates.
Cyberpunk Edgerunners 2 timeline: What year does the new anime take place?
CD Projekt Red loremaster Patrick Mills confirmed the second anime takes place in 2078. He addressed discussion about whether the season happened before V’s story by saying that Night City’s clock hadn’t stopped at the title year of Cyberpunk 2077.
The series does contain clues, although the date isn’t announced as a major part of the story. The Cyberpunk Edgerunners 2 timeline became a topic of debate because showrunner Bartosz Sztybor previously treated revealing the time setting as a spoiler. Mills’ later clarification provides the answer.
The correct order of the two anime seasons and the game
The original Edgerunners takes place around 2076 and follows David Martinez and Lucy. Cyberpunk 2077 follows V in the year 2077. The second anime follows D, Talia, Weak and Roman in 2078. That is the chronology within the fiction, not the order in which the products were released.
The dates are useful if you enjoy spotting references, but you don’t need to play a certain game ending before watching the new show. Netflix describes the ten-episode second season as a standalone story in the same setting.
| Title | Story year | Main cast |
|---|---|---|
| Cyberpunk: Edgerunners | Around 2076 | David Martinez, Lucy |
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 2077 | V |
| Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 | 2078 | D, Weak, Talia, Roman |
Cyberpunk Edgerunners 2 timeline: Is Edgerunners 2 before or after the game?
It is after Cyberpunk 2077. That means viewers can interpret details such as Arasaka’s diminished influence and later developments involving Soulkiller in the context of a city that has already lived through V’s year.
The Cyberpunk Edgerunners 2 timeline does not mean CDPR has selected one universal canon ending for every player’s V. The game’s different possible conclusions are not all resolved by the simple fact that the anime takes place a year later. Until the studio names a specific route, describing one as definitively canon would be speculation.
How the Clampdown quest connects to the anime
The official Edgerunners 2 Update (2.5) patch notes explicitly say the new Clampdown side quest is set before the events of Edgerunners 2. It introduces story material connected to Weak’s former identity as King, alongside a five-piece King gear set.
To unlock the quest in Cyberpunk 2077, finish The Heist and two gigs for Wakako, then wait for her message. Our Clampdown guide covers the instructions and rewards. CDPR has not assigned the quest a precise calendar date in its public notes, so its exact month remains unspecified.
Does the second anime continue David Martinez’s story?
The new D has a first name in common with David Martinez, but he isn’t the first show’s protagonist. He’s a Snake Nation netrunner seeking revenge for his clan, and his relationship with the AI Capri is central to his storyline.
The Cyberpunk Edgerunners 2 timeline is another reason not to mistake them for the same person: the new story occurs later, with a different cast. The reference to cyberware tolerance and Arasaka’s interest in exceptional subjects connects both seasons without bringing David Martinez back to life.
Cyberpunk Edgerunners 2 timeline: What connects the anime to Night City’s corporations?
Arasaka and Kang Tao appear throughout the Cyberpunk universe, and both play major parts in the second season’s conflict. Kang Tao executive Kiril is Talia’s father, while research involving Capri and Soulkiller links the story to the technology familiar to players.
These connections give returning fans more to recognise without requiring a separate explanation for every piece of lore. The Cyberpunk Edgerunners 2 timeline puts the same corporations into a later chapter of Night City’s history, rather than relocating the series to a separate universe.
What about Update 2.5 and the Netflix premiere dates?
The anime’s real-world premiere was October 20, 2026, with all ten episodes arriving on Netflix. Cyberpunk 2077’s Update 2.5 launched on October 22, 2026, adding Clampdown, new King equipment, HKGN 102.0 FM and other crossover features.
Those 2026 dates shouldn’t be confused with the fictional 2078 setting. If you’re mainly interested in the game’s crossover content, our Update 2.5 guide covers the changes, while the Netflix guide covers how to watch the anime.
What order should you watch and play everything?
To follow the broad history, watch Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, then experience the story of Cyberpunk 2077, then watch Edgerunners 2. If you’ve already finished the game, you can play the Clampdown quest to see a deliberate prequel link before starting the second show.
For viewers who don’t own the game, watching the original anime before Edgerunners 2 is enough background. The Cyberpunk Edgerunners 2 timeline is mainly about where each story belongs; it isn’t a requirement to complete a particular game route before enjoying the new characters.
The Cyberpunk Edgerunners 2 timeline makes the overall picture straightforward: the first anime is around 2076, V’s game is in 2077, and the new series is in 2078. For a closer look at the new cast, see our character guide.
2078 confirmation: Patrick Mills’ statement reported by GamesRadar+. The game’s prequel quest: CDPR’s Update 2.5 patch notes. Official series source: Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2.
