Cyberpunk 2077 is an open-world action-adventure RPG from CD PROJEKT RED. You play V, a mercenary in Night City who takes a job to steal a prototype implant linked to immortality. When the heist fails, the implant begins overwriting V’s personality with that of rocker and terrorist Johnny Silverhand. The result is a survival story set in a city ruled by corporations, advanced technology and body modification, where exploration, relationships and player choices affect what happens around you.
What is Cyberpunk 2077?
Cyberpunk 2077 combines first-person shooting, melee combat, driving, role-playing progression and open-world exploration. Its protagonist, V, is a customizable mercenary who works jobs for fixers and other clients across Night City. You decide V’s appearance, background, skills, equipment and approach to missions.
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The central conflict begins when V joins a heist for a unique prototype implant. The device is described by the publisher as a key to immortality, but the job goes wrong and the experimental technology becomes embedded in V’s head. It is also carrying the engram, or digital personality construct, of Johnny Silverhand. As the implant gradually threatens to replace V’s personality, ordinary mercenary work becomes a fight for survival.
The story is designed to let you move between major missions, optional gigs, character quests and free exploration. You can approach many encounters through gunplay, stealth, hacking, conversation or a mixture of those methods. Cyberware and other upgrades let you build a fast melee fighter, a precision shooter, a stealth specialist, a netrunner who attacks systems remotely, or a hybrid character.
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- 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.
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That structure is important when deciding whether the game is for you: it is not only a linear action story and not only a sandbox. The main plot supplies the dramatic spine, while side jobs, relationships and exploration reveal much of Night City’s history and its people.
What is Night City?
Night City is the game’s open-world megalopolis, a densely built city surrounded by the Badlands. Its districts deliberately contrast with one another, from the polished corporate towers of Corpo Plaza to poorer neighborhoods, industrial zones and the open desert beyond the city limits.
Corpo Plaza and the city center
Corpo Plaza represents the power of Night City’s megacorporations. High-rise architecture, security systems and luxury spaces sit alongside streets where mercenaries, gangs and civilians compete for influence. Corporate power is not just background scenery; it shapes missions, dialogue and the opportunities available to V.
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The Badlands are the rougher territory outside the urban core. Roads, settlements and open desert give you a different pace from the crowded city. Driving between districts can expose hidden encounters, secrets and jobs rather than serving only as travel time.
Exploration as a game system
You choose where to go and how to get there. The map contains secrets, characters, fixer-assigned gigs and activities that may be discovered while traveling. A mission marker rarely tells the whole story: talking to people, reading messages, examining locations and returning to an area can reveal additional context.
Night City is therefore both a setting and a source of gameplay. Its social divisions, technology and corporate politics provide the conflicts that V navigates, while its districts give the game a range of visual and mechanical environments.
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- THE ULTIMATE CYBERPUNK 2077 EXPERIENCE - Includes the critically acclaimed spy thriller expansion Phantom Liberty
- CREATE YOUR OWN CYBERPUNK
- Explore the city of the future – you decide when you want to go where and how to get there
- Decide how the story ends – your choices in the main game as well as in the spy thriller adventure Phantom Liberty lead to a complex web of consequences
How the story works without spoilers
V’s immediate objective is to survive the implant’s effects and find a way to stop the personality overwrite. Johnny Silverhand’s presence turns that personal crisis into an ongoing argument about identity, memory and control. The game keeps the exact consequences of major choices hidden, so the safest way to approach the story is to treat conversations and alliances as meaningful rather than rushing only through marked main missions.
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Choices can alter relationships, open or close quests and change how later situations unfold. The game does not require one “correct” role-playing style. You can make decisions based on V’s values, tactical advantage or curiosity, and the consequences are often connected to the people you choose to help.
What not to expect from this introduction
The implant and Johnny Silverhand are the central hook, but the major endings and late-story revelations are intentionally not described here. If you are starting fresh, avoid searching for ending guides until you have decided whether you want to experience those decisions without spoilers.
What do you actually do in Cyberpunk 2077?
Complete main missions
Main missions advance V’s struggle with the implant and introduce the central cast. They also unlock new locations, choices and story routes. You can usually pause the main plot to pursue optional work before continuing.
Take gigs and side quests
Fixers offer gigs that range from thefts and rescues to investigations and combat jobs. Side quests often develop characters in more detail than the main path and can affect later opportunities. If you want the fullest context for Night City, do not treat every optional objective as disposable filler.
Build V with skills and cyberware
Progression lets you improve weapons, abilities and cyberware. Cyberware can change your movement, defenses, hacking options or combat tools, while weapons and perks support different approaches. You can specialize or keep a flexible build that switches between stealth, hacking and direct combat.
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Drive, investigate and discover
Vehicles connect the districts, but travel also creates opportunities to encounter secrets and unplanned events. Exploring a location before starting a mission can reveal alternate entrances, useful information or additional dialogue.
Develop relationships
Several characters have quest lines that continue across multiple missions. How you speak to them and which commitments you make can influence their trust in V and the story opportunities that follow.
What is Phantom Liberty?
Phantom Liberty is a spy-thriller expansion for Cyberpunk 2077. It takes place in Dogtown, a walled-off and dangerous district within Night City. V becomes involved with Solomon Reed, a NUSA secret agent, while political intrigue and shifting loyalties drive the new storyline.
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What the expansion adds
- A dedicated Dogtown setting and spy-thriller campaign.
- New gigs and side quests tied to the district and its factions.
- Additional weapons and items.
- Replayable open-world activities.
- A dedicated Relic skill tree for new progression options.
Phantom Liberty is an expansion rather than a separate game. You need the base game to play it, and the story is designed for a V who is already operating in Night City. CD PROJEKT RED game director Gabe Amatangelo described the expansion as “the culmination of years of hard work on the part of all of our teams.”
Where should a new player start?
Your best starting point depends on platform, budget and whether you want the expansion immediately. Use the following checks before buying or installing.
Choose the base game if you want the original campaign first
The base game contains V’s main story, Night City and the original progression systems. It is a complete starting point if you want to learn the world and decide later whether Dogtown’s spy-thriller campaign interests you.
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Choose Ultimate Edition for the base game plus Phantom Liberty
The Ultimate Edition combines the base game and Phantom Liberty. It is the straightforward bundle for someone who already knows they want both campaigns. CD PROJEKT RED announced a physical Ultimate Edition for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S in select markets, and PlayStation’s US store lists a PS5 Ultimate Edition. Edition contents, format, price and availability can vary by country, so verify the listing for your region before purchase.
Do not buy a PS4 copy expecting current expansion support
PlayStation states that the PS4 version’s last patch was released on November 8, 2022 and that the version is no longer supported. A PS5 is required for later patches and to buy and play Phantom Liberty. If you own a PS4, check upgrade terms and platform compatibility instead of assuming that the PS4 disc provides the current PS5 experience.
Use the current PS5 listing for a console purchase
PlayStation’s US product page currently lists both the base game and Ultimate Edition for PS5. Store pages are regional, so the displayed edition, price, delivery format and availability may differ elsewhere. Confirm whether you are buying a download or a physical copy and whether the expansion is included.
Cyberpunk 2077 editions and platform choices
| Option | Includes | Important checks |
|---|---|---|
| Base game | Cyberpunk 2077 campaign and Night City | Phantom Liberty is not included unless the listing says so. |
| Ultimate Edition | Base game plus Phantom Liberty | Check regional availability, physical or digital format and the exact platform. |
| PS4 version | Base game on PS4 | Last patch was November 8, 2022; no current support, and Phantom Liberty requires PS5. |
| PS5 version | Current console version; base game or Ultimate Edition | Use your regional PlayStation listing to confirm price and contents. |
| PC version | Base game, with Phantom Liberty available separately or in a bundle | Compare your hardware with the desired resolution, frame-rate and ray-tracing tier. |
PC requirements: what hardware do you need?
CD PROJEKT RED’s official requirements for Update 2.0 and Phantom Liberty vary substantially with resolution and ray tracing. The following figures describe the listed 1080p targets without ray tracing.
| Target | Graphics hardware | Memory | Storage | Performance target |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum 1080p, non-ray-traced | GTX 1060 6 GB, Radeon RX 580 8 GB or Intel Arc A380 class | 12 GB RAM | 70 GB SSD | 30 FPS |
| Recommended 1080p High, non-ray-traced | RTX 2060 Super, Radeon RX 5700 XT or Intel Arc A770 class | 16 GB RAM | 70 GB SSD | 60 FPS |
These are not universal guarantees for every graphics setting. Ray tracing, higher resolutions and more demanding presets require different hardware. Check the complete official requirements table for the exact mode you intend to use before buying components or assuming that a laptop will perform like a desktop with a similarly named GPU.
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- Identify your GPU model and dedicated video memory.
- Check installed system RAM and confirm that the game can use an SSD with at least the listed free capacity.
- Decide whether your target is 1080p at 30 FPS, 1080p High at 60 FPS, a higher resolution or ray tracing.
- Compare against the matching official tier rather than against the minimum alone.
- Leave additional free space for operating-system files, updates and other installed games.
How long does it take to finish Cyberpunk 2077?
PlayStation’s official FAQ gives between 20 and 30 hours as its estimate for completing one storyline. That is the FAQ’s estimate, not an independently validated measurement, and it does not represent every possible play style.
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- 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: 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
Your total time can be longer if you explore districts, complete gigs, pursue character quest lines, experiment with builds or add Phantom Liberty. The game’s structure makes “finished” subjective: completing the central storyline is different from seeing every side quest and optional activity.
Common buying and setup mistakes
Assuming every edition includes the expansion
Read the product name and contents carefully. A standard base-game listing and an Ultimate Edition listing are not interchangeable.
Buying the PS4 version for Phantom Liberty
The expansion requires PS5, and the PS4 version no longer receives current patches. Confirm the console generation before checkout.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsUsing minimum PC specs as a 60-FPS promise
The minimum 1080p tier targets 30 FPS. For 60 FPS at 1080p High, compare against the recommended tier instead.
Assuming a store page applies worldwide
PlayStation listings are regional. Verify currency, language, delivery format, upgrade rights and whether the Ultimate Edition is sold in your country.
Expecting cloud-play availability to be permanent
The 2023 Phantom Liberty launch announcement named GeForce NOW as a PC access channel. That announcement is historical and does not guarantee current service, storefront or regional availability; check the provider’s present catalog and your account’s supported region.
Is Cyberpunk 2077 a good place to start with the series?
Yes. You do not need to play another game first. The setting, characters and V’s situation are introduced within Cyberpunk 2077, and the game explains the major concepts needed to follow the story. New players should begin with the base campaign or the Ultimate Edition, avoid spoilers, and choose a build that matches how they want to play rather than trying to optimize every decision immediately.
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If you are deciding between versions, the practical rule is simple: choose PS5 or a PC that meets your intended performance tier; choose the base game if you want to start with the original campaign; and choose Ultimate Edition if you want Dogtown and Phantom Liberty included from the beginning.
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