Play Cyberpunk 2077 before starting Phantom Liberty. The expansion requires the base game, and its Dogtown story assumes you know V, Night City and Johnny Silverhand. For Cyberpunk 2—the sequel formerly called Project Orion—no official prerequisite or required play order has been announced.
The practical order is simple: start with Cyberpunk 2077, enter Phantom Liberty when the campaign makes it available, then decide when to complete the base-game ending. Phantom Liberty is downloadable content, not a separate game. CD PROJEKT RED’s June 12, 2023 bundle announcement says the base game is included because “the latter being required to play Phantom Liberty,” and the Steam listing states that the content requires Cyberpunk 2077 on Steam.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
What you need to play Phantom Liberty
Phantom Liberty adds a substantial spy-thriller campaign in Dogtown, a new district of Night City. You play as V, and Johnny Silverhand returns. Because the expansion is built around the existing protagonist, world and characters, the base game supplies context that a standalone release would normally provide.
It is not standalone
You need a copy of Cyberpunk 2077 on the platform where you intend to play. Buying the expansion by itself does not create a playable installation. The Steam product page uses the explicit requirement: “This content requires the base game Cyberpunk 2077 on Steam in order to play.” On consoles and other storefronts, the same practical rule applies: the expansion is an add-on to the corresponding base-game edition.
#1 Best Overall
- DISCOVER UPDATE 2.0: Experience new and overhauled gameplay mechanics to fulfill your wildest cyberpunk fantasies. The free Update 2.0 brings brand new ways to play Cyberpunk 2077, including totally redesigned perks and cyberware systems, pulsating vehicle combat and car chases, a revamped police system, enhanced enemy combat AI, and more.
- CREATE YOUR OWN CYBERPUNK: Become an urban outlaw equipped with cybernetic enhancements and build your legend on the streets of Night City. · EXPLORE THE CITY OF THE FUTURE: Night City is packed to the brim with things to do, places to see, and people to meet. And it’s up to you where to go, when to go, and how to get there.
- BUILD YOUR LEGEND: Go on daring adventures and build relationships with unforgettable characters whose fates are shaped by the choices you make. · EQUIPPED WITH NEXT-GEN FEATURES: Immerse yourself in Night City like never before thanks to faster load times, improved visual and gameplay features, ray tracing and dynamic 4K support, and more.
- CLAIM EXCLUSIVE ITEMS: Claim in-game swag & digital goodies inspired by CD PROJEKT RED games as part of the My Rewards program.
- PHYSICAL EDITION GOODIES: The physical version of Cyberpunk 2077 Ultimate Edition includes an exclusive set of stickers and a rewards leaflet with a Wild Hunt Jacket and a Scorch Pistol!
Release dates depend on the source
| Reference | Date | What it represents |
|---|---|---|
| Publisher announcement | September 26, 2023 | The launch date stated by CD PROJEKT RED for Phantom Liberty. |
| Steam store record | September 25, 2023 | The date displayed in Steam’s release record, which can differ from a publisher’s date because of platform timing and regional storefront handling. |
Neither date changes the purchase requirement or the recommended order. If you are checking availability, use the date shown by your own platform; if you are describing the publisher’s launch, use September 26, 2023.
Recommended play order, step by step
- Begin with the main game. Create or load V in Cyberpunk 2077 and play through the opening portions of the campaign. This establishes V’s relationships, Night City’s factions and Johnny Silverhand’s role.
- Watch for the expansion opportunity. Continue the base-game campaign until Phantom Liberty becomes available. The game will present the opportunity to enter the expansion; you do not need to invent a separate order or treat Dogtown as a prequel.
- Play Dogtown as part of the same V story. You can continue the expansion alongside the main campaign rather than treating it as an unrelated spin-off. Its choices and characters are designed to sit inside V’s existing journey.
- Choose when to approach the base-game ending. Finishing Phantom Liberty before the final base-game resolution lets you consider its additional choices and ending context within one playthrough. You can also follow the expansion opportunity and return to other available content before committing to the finale.
The first two steps are not merely stylistic advice: the expansion cannot be launched without the base game. The later steps are a spoiler-light way to let the added story inform your overall playthrough without requiring a separate save or a second game.
Should you finish the main story before Phantom Liberty?
No mandatory completion of the main story has been published. The documented requirement is ownership and installation of Cyberpunk 2077, not completion of every mission or a particular ending. When the campaign presents the expansion opportunity, you can enter Dogtown then and continue your wider playthrough afterward.
Recommended Free Tools
Starting the expansion at its opportunity
For a first playthrough, the least confusing approach is to follow the campaign until the expansion is introduced. You will have enough familiarity with V and Johnny to understand the stakes, while still allowing Phantom Liberty to influence later decisions in the same run. Keep manual saves before major missions if you want freedom to explore different outcomes; that is ordinary save-management advice, not an announced requirement from the publisher.
Finishing the base game first
Some players prefer to complete the original campaign before touching additional content. That is a valid personal sequence, but it can separate the expansion’s consequences from the rest of V’s story. If your goal is the most integrated narrative, enter Phantom Liberty when it becomes available and complete it before making the irreversible final commitment of the main campaign.
Rank #2
- PS5 Features include raytracing modes and immersive haptic feedback for DualSense
- Use darkness and cover to avoid being overwhelmed by the ship's deadly new inhabitants
- Seek out the weapon fabricators to increase your firepower as you journey deeper, into the dark and terrifying depths, but beware ammo is limited
- Gather materials & schematics for weapon upgrades and suit customizations with buffs
- Harvest DNA material to improve health, toughness and defensive capabilities.Survive an ever changing labyrinth. Each and every expedition into The Persistence will be disorienting and different.Death is just the beginning. Fatal encounters will result in Zimri's consciousness being uploaded into a new cloned body, ready to try again, with any upgraded stats, suits & weapon schematics kept to aid the next attempt to save the ship
Returning players and existing saves
If you already completed Cyberpunk 2077, you do not need to replay the entire game simply to qualify for the expansion. Load a suitable save and follow the campaign’s expansion opportunity. If you are starting over, the base-game-first order remains the clearest way to learn the setting and characters.
What is included in the Ultimate Edition?
The straightforward purchase for someone who owns neither component is Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition. It packages the base game and Phantom Liberty together, avoiding the common mistake of buying downloadable content without the game it requires.
PC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minute| Purchase route | What you receive | Best fit |
|---|---|---|
| Base game only | Cyberpunk 2077; no Phantom Liberty access | Players who want to experience the original campaign first or decide about the expansion later. |
| Expansion only | Phantom Liberty add-on; requires the base game on the same platform | Existing owners of Cyberpunk 2077. |
| Ultimate Edition | Base game plus Phantom Liberty | New players seeking the simplest complete 2077 package. |
Check the edition and platform carefully before purchase. The requirement is tied to the base game on the relevant storefront; owning a copy in one ecosystem does not automatically make an add-on usable in another.
Is Phantom Liberty the only Cyberpunk 2077 expansion?
CD PROJEKT RED’s support notice identifies Phantom Liberty as “the only planned expansion developed for Cyberpunk 2077.” That makes the 2077 order uncomplicated: there is no second announced expansion that belongs between the base game and Dogtown. Other updates or patches do not create another story chapter that must be inserted into your sequence.
Do you need to play Cyberpunk 2077 before Cyberpunk 2?
No requirement has been announced. CD PROJEKT RED’s February 6, 2024 announcement called Project Orion “the anticipated follow-up to Cyberpunk 2077” and said it was in the early stages of development. On May 28, 2025, the company reported that the project—now called Cyberpunk 2—had completed its conceptual phase and moved into preproduction.
Rank #3
- 🎮 2-in-1 Controller and Headset Stand: Compatible with PS5, Xbox Series, Switch Pro & more. Keep your gaming setup neat and ready
- 🔥 Cyberpunk-Inspired Design: Add a futuristic, collectible touch to your gaming room or desktop
- 💡 Unique Gamer Accessory & Room Decor: Perfect blend of function and style—ideal for cool room setups
- 🧩 Premium Build & Stable Base: Durable materials ensure your gear stays safe and display-ready
What those announcements do and do not establish
- Established: Cyberpunk 2 is the follow-up formerly known as Project Orion.
- Established: The project was in preproduction by May 28, 2025.
- Not established: A requirement to finish Cyberpunk 2077.
- Not established: A requirement to play Phantom Liberty.
- Not established: A release date, confirmed platform list or save-transfer policy.
Because those details are absent from the official announcements, it would be inaccurate to claim that the sequel will lock story content behind a completed 2077 save, require a particular ending or demand that you own the expansion. The eventual game may reward familiarity with the earlier title, but that is different from a confirmed prerequisite.
How much background will matter for Cyberpunk 2?
The answer will depend on the sequel’s final design, which has not been disclosed. A follow-up can assume returning players know Night City while still teaching newcomers the necessary setting. Until CD PROJEKT RED publishes story, save-import or onboarding details, treat replaying Cyberpunk 2077 and Phantom Liberty as preparation for your own understanding, not as an officially required checklist.
If you want the fullest available context before the sequel arrives, play the base game first and then Phantom Liberty. That gives you the complete currently released V-era experience. It does not guarantee that every character, faction or choice will carry into Cyberpunk 2, because no such transfer has been announced.
Common situations and the right choice
You own only Phantom Liberty
Buy or otherwise obtain Cyberpunk 2077 for the same platform before attempting to launch the expansion. The add-on alone is not playable.
You own the base game but have not started it
Start the base campaign, learn V and Johnny’s roles, and wait for the in-game expansion opportunity. There is no benefit to treating Dogtown as a separate first chapter.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Rank #4
- FOR CYBERPUNK 2077 VIDEO GAME FANS: You might lose your sanity in Night City, but at least you won't lose your keys
- QUALITY DESIGN: Molded flat relief design; sturdy metal alloy construction with enamel color finish
- IDEAL SIZE: Keychain design measures approximately 2.75 inches x 0.84 inches
- AUTHENTIC CYBERPUNK 2077 KEY CHAIN: Officially licensed by CD PROJEKT RED; designed and created by JINX
You finished the original campaign years ago
Use an existing save if it gives you access to the expansion opportunity, or begin a fresh run if you want to rebuild your character and choices. A full replay is optional, not a published requirement.
You are buying for the first time
The Ultimate Edition is the simplest way to obtain both required components in one product. If you are uncertain about the expansion, the base game alone still lets you play the original campaign; adding the expansion later preserves the same basic order.
You are waiting for Cyberpunk 2
You can wait without completing either earlier title and still meet every requirement publicly stated so far. Playing them now is valuable for narrative familiarity, but no official announcement says your save, achievements or completion status will be checked.
Bottom line on the order
Cyberpunk 2077 comes first because Phantom Liberty requires it. Enter the expansion when the campaign presents the opportunity, and consider completing it before the base-game ending if you want its choices integrated into one V story. Cyberpunk 2 is a separate future sequel, formerly called Project Orion; as of the May 28, 2025 preproduction update, CD PROJEKT RED has announced no mandatory prior game or expansion.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsQuick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
