I wonder if this could be a more dynamic world - a bit like Destiny/Division too with a bit of GTA thrown in. It could be that the whole game is like the Witcher 3 or GTA but there is an 'online' like GTA or RDR online where the whole world is playable online and you can set up your own 'gang/posse'. It could be like the Division/Destiny where you have the whole world open but can take on 'enemies' co-operatively and/or have a separate but integrated PvP area/mode.

Its all speculation but 'online' doesn't instantly spell disaster to me. It will be interesting to see how CDPR do implement this. It doesn't necessarily mean it will have a CoD/BF style separate MP mode with the typical TDM, FFA etc modes. They could of course do this and it still wouldn't necessarily mean the SP game is now worse for it. It didn't seem to affect the story of Uncharted or Last of Us when they had a separate MP.

Mention 'Destiny' or the 'Division' doesn't necessarily mean this games SP can be affected either if it followed a similar thing. Maybe you can play the whole game co-operatively or have 'co-op' missions and reasons to spend time in that world beyond the story and SP side missions etc too. Essentially give the game an 'end game' with communal hubs and reasons to spend time in Cyberpunks world beyond the 150hrs or so it takes to beat the SP and ALL side quests etc with 'other' people. I wouldn't mind having some reason to still play in the Witcher 3's world - but once you've beaten the Story, there is 'new game + and you can make different decisions i guess but I would like to have some daily/weekly bounty/quests etc with sporadic 'monsters' attack (Public events) that you (and other witchers) can take out for 'rewards'. With its Day/Night cycle, these Monsters could be different depending on the time of day. To me its ripe for a Destiny type structure. We could all be 'Witchers' and aligned to different houses - roaming the world, picking up quests, playing gwent, taking on bounties for rewards etc in that world. I can see Cyberpunk 2077 working in a similar way too that still wouldn't impact on the story but give you reason to play beyond the story.

There are many factions, corporations and diverse groups that maybe they use the 'whole' game in a GTA/RDR style - more GTA as that has more vehicles, set in a built up city etc.

Anyway we will just have to see what they do. I am not writing it off yet - it is CDPR we are talking about - not EA!