Cyberpunk: Edgerunners creator Bartosz Sztybor has noticed more fans arguing that the anime’s second season surpasses its predecessor, despite earlier disappointment from viewers who expected a continuation of the first season’s story.
In a post on X, Sztybor said he was happy to see fans debating which season was better. He acknowledged that some viewers had been disappointed that Season 2 was not like Season 1, but observed that more people were now calling the newer season superior and describing the original as underwhelming.
“Remember – S2 wouldn’t exist without S1, but also S2 completes S1,”
Sztybor wrote, comparing the relationship between the seasons to the connections between their characters.
His comments suggest that he sees the two seasons as complementary stories rather than competing versions of the same experience.
Season 2 Tells a Different Story in Night City
Unlike the first season, which followed David Martinez’s rise as an edgerunner, Season 2 introduces a new group of characters facing the dangers of Night City. Its story follows D., Talia, Weak, and Roman as they confront the consequences of an AI weapon entering the world.
Although the protagonists have changed, the second season maintains connections to the original through references to David and the consequences of earlier events. In an interview with GamesRadar+, Sztybor explained that he wanted the two seasons to remain in “constant dialogue” with each other.
He also revealed that the idea for Season 2 partly emerged from wondering what would have happened if David had survived. That alternate possibility helped inspire Weak, a veteran edgerunner whose journey explores the opposite trajectory from David’s story.
Season 1 holds a 100% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, while Season 2 has an 80% score. These ratings provide context for the ongoing comparisons, although they do not establish whether fan opinion has shifted across the entire audience.
Sztybor’s message instead emphasizes that he welcomes the debate and sees value in both seasons. His comments suggest that Season 2 was designed to complement the original rather than replace David and Lucy’s story.
Both seasons of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners are available to stream on Netflix.
