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Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Cyberpunk 2077 is an open-world action-adventure role-playing game from CD PROJEKT RED. You play V, a mercenary in the corporation-dominated Night City, whose attempt to obtain a prototype implant linked to immortality draws Johnny Silverhand into the story. Your decisions, relationships, and cyberware upgrades shape how the journey unfolds. The separate Phantom Liberty expansion adds a spy-thriller campaign in Dogtown and requires the base game.
What Cyberpunk 2077 is
Cyberpunk 2077 combines a story-led role-playing game with an explorable open world. Its setting is Night City, a futuristic megalopolis where corporations, advanced technology, and body modification define everyday life. You take the role of V, a mercenary trying to survive, build a reputation, and solve a crisis involving a prototype implant associated with immortality.
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The game is not a linear film with occasional choices. You move through districts, accept missions, meet characters, improve V with cyberware, and decide how to respond to situations. CD PROJEKT RED describes those choices as capable of shaping the world and story. That means the appeal is not only reaching an ending; it is seeing how your decisions alter relationships, missions, and the version of Night City you experience.
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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Phantom Liberty is a separate expansion rather than a replacement for the main game. It introduces a spy-thriller storyline in Dogtown, a district of Night City. V becomes involved with NUSA agent Solomon Reed in a plot built around espionage and political intrigue. The expansion adds missions, activities, items, and a Relic skill tree, and it cannot be played without the base game.
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The story premise: V, the Relic, and Johnny Silverhand
V’s objective
V begins as a mercenary pursuing a job that centers on a prototype implant. The implant is tied to the idea of immortality, which gives the main story its urgency: V is not simply chasing money or status but trying to survive the consequences of technology that was never meant to work this way.
The setup places personal survival inside Night City’s larger power struggle. Corporations control resources and influence, while mercenaries, fixers, agents, and ordinary residents navigate the consequences. The result is a plot that can move from intimate conversations to conflicts involving institutions with far greater power than V possesses.
Johnny Silverhand’s role
Johnny Silverhand becomes part of V’s story through the implant-related crisis. His presence gives the narrative another perspective on Night City and on the choices V must make. The relationship is central to understanding the game’s identity: V’s immediate need to stay alive intersects with Johnny’s own history, motives, and view of the city.
Choices and relationships
Character relationships are one of the game’s major role-playing elements. Conversations and decisions are not merely flavor text; they are part of how the story is delivered. The publisher says choices can shape the world and story, so players should expect consequences to develop over time rather than always appearing immediately after a dialogue option.
There is no single “correct” way to role-play V. You can treat missions as opportunities to protect particular people, pursue a personal code, maximize your reputation, or simply survive. The important point is to make decisions deliberately when a conversation or mission presents competing priorities, because the game is designed around those decisions having narrative weight.
Night City: the setting that drives the game
Night City is more than a backdrop. It is a futuristic, corporation-ruled megalopolis obsessed with technology and body modification. That combination creates the central tension of the setting: technology can offer power, convenience, or a chance to change the body, but the same systems can make people vulnerable to institutions and other individuals.
The city’s corporate structure explains why V’s personal ambitions are difficult to separate from politics and economics. A mercenary can take a job for an individual client and still become entangled in the interests of organizations that control information, technology, and force. The open-world format lets you see those pressures through missions and relationships rather than through exposition alone.
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Body modification is also part of the setting’s social logic. Cyberware upgrades are not an optional cosmetic theme; they connect the way you improve V with the world’s values. Choosing upgrades is therefore both a gameplay decision and a way to express what kind of mercenary V is becoming.
Why the setting matters to the story
- Power: corporations and other powerful organizations shape the opportunities available to V.
- Identity: cyberware and technology raise questions about how much of a person can be changed while remaining themselves.
- Survival: V’s implant crisis turns a citywide conflict into a personal emergency.
- Reputation: V is a mercenary trying to make a name in a city where status can open doors but also attract danger.
How the role-playing systems fit together
Cyberware upgrades
Cyberware is the clearest connection between character development and setting. Upgrading V changes the capabilities you bring to missions while reinforcing the game’s focus on technological body modification. The right approach is to choose upgrades that support the way you want to solve problems instead of treating every available improvement as equally valuable.
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If you prefer a deliberate, story-focused play style, pause before installing or changing upgrades and consider the role you want V to occupy. A build that supports your preferred decisions and mission approach will feel more coherent than one assembled without a plan. The game’s premise makes those choices meaningful even when the immediate benefit is mechanical.
Mission choices
Missions are where the open world and the narrative systems meet. You may enter a situation with one objective and leave with a different understanding of the people involved. Read conversations carefully, note what each person wants, and remember that the most obvious short-term solution may not produce the outcome you prefer later.
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Exploration and pacing
Because Night City is open, you do not have to treat the main story as a checklist. Alternating major missions with optional activities gives relationships and setting details room to develop. Conversely, focusing on the main line first can help players who want to understand the central implant crisis before exploring every corner of the city. Neither approach is inherently correct; the choice is about whether you value a tightly paced narrative or a broader tour of the setting.
What Phantom Liberty adds
A separate spy-thriller campaign
Phantom Liberty takes place in Dogtown, a district within Night City, and shifts the tone toward espionage and political intrigue. V works with NUSA agent Solomon Reed, placing the player inside a story where information, loyalty, and institutional power are as important as direct combat.
The expansion is designed for people who want another substantial story in the same world, not for someone looking for a standalone introduction. The base game is required, so buying the expansion by itself does not provide a complete playable package.
New content categories
- New missions connected to the Dogtown storyline.
- Additional activities in and around the expansion’s district.
- New items for use in the broader game experience.
- A Relic skill tree that adds another form of character development.
Game Director Gabe Amatangelo described the expansion as “the culmination of years of hard work on the part of all of our teams.” That statement reflects its position as a major addition to the game rather than a small downloadable extra.
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Which edition and platform should you choose?
| Option | What is included | Important considerations |
|---|---|---|
| Base game | Cyberpunk 2077 | Lets you play V’s main Night City story; Phantom Liberty is not included. |
| Ultimate Edition on PC, PS5, or Xbox Series X|S | Base game plus Phantom Liberty | Best fit if you want the complete current package on those platforms. |
| Ultimate Edition for Switch 2 | Base game, Phantom Liberty, and updates released since launch | Available digitally or on a physical 64 GB game card; advertised controls include motion, gyro, mouse, and touchscreen features. |
| PS4 version | Base game edition for the older console | Last patch was November 8, 2022; it is no longer supported for later patches, and a PS5 is required for later patches or Phantom Liberty. |
The best choice depends on content, platform support, controls, and hardware rather than on a single universal ranking. If you already own the base game, check whether your platform offers an upgrade or bundle path before buying the complete edition. If you are starting from zero and want the expansion, an Ultimate Edition avoids purchasing the base game and expansion separately.
Playing on PC: check the current requirements correctly
CD PROJEKT RED’s support table is the authoritative check for a PC purchase. The currently displayed requirements cover the base game and Phantom Liberty from Update 2.0 onward. They separate non-ray-tracing and ray-tracing targets and specify the expected performance target, resolution, processor, graphics card, video memory, system memory, and SSD or NVMe storage.
Do not reduce that information to a single “minimum PC.” A computer that can meet a lower non-ray-tracing target may not meet the requirements for ray tracing, a higher resolution, or a different frame-rate target. Match your own components to the row that describes the experience you want.
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PC checking procedure
- Identify your processor model, graphics card, VRAM, installed system memory, and available SSD or NVMe space.
- Choose the target you actually plan to use: non-ray tracing or ray tracing, plus the listed resolution and performance target.
- Compare every component with the corresponding row in CD PROJEKT RED’s current support table, not just the graphics card.
- Recheck the page immediately before purchase or installation because requirements can change as updates are released.
- If your hardware falls between rows, select the more demanding row for planning purposes rather than assuming the lower target will deliver the same experience.
The support page had been updated eight months before the supplied editorial check, so its displayed figures should be treated as time-sensitive. This article does not reproduce numbers that were not provided in the source material; use the live table for the exact values.
Playing on PlayStation: support and accessibility
PS5 is the supported route for current content
The official PlayStation listing describes a dedicated PS5 edition and Phantom Liberty. The PS4 version received its last patch on November 8, 2022 and is no longer supported. A PS5 is required to receive later patches or to buy and play the expansion.
This makes the console decision straightforward: choose PS5 if you want the expansion and ongoing patch support. A PS4 copy should be viewed as an older, unsupported version rather than as an equivalent way to access the current package.
Accessibility settings
The PlayStation listing identifies accessibility options including clear and large text, visual-comfort settings, subtitle adjustments, separate volume controls, and controller options. Check the in-game menus and your console settings before starting a long session, especially if you need larger text, reduced visual strain, customized subtitle presentation, or independent audio levels.
These details come from the PlayStation listing and should not be assumed to describe every platform identically. If accessibility is a deciding factor, verify the feature list for the specific edition you intend to use.
Playing on Switch 2
Content and formats
The Switch 2 Ultimate Edition includes the base game, Phantom Liberty, and updates released since launch. It is sold as a digital download and as a physical 64 GB game card. Confirm the regional and platform edition when shopping, because a listing for another console does not provide the same format or control options.
Control options
CD PROJEKT RED lists motion controls, gyro aiming, mouse controls, and touchscreen features for the Switch 2 edition. These options make the platform distinctive for players who value portable play or want to choose among several input methods.
The listed features are publisher specifications, not independent performance testing. They tell you which control schemes are advertised; they do not establish frame rate, image quality, battery life, or comparative performance against another platform. Choose Switch 2 for its portability and control flexibility, and consult current platform information for any hardware-specific questions not covered by the feature list.
Physical versus digital
- Physical card: a 64 GB game card containing the Switch 2 edition’s bundled content.
- Digital download: avoids storing a card and is convenient for switching between installed games, subject to the console’s available storage and account requirements.
Before buying a physical copy, verify that the listing is the Switch 2 Ultimate Edition and that the package is available in your region. Before choosing digital, check available storage and the account you will use to access the purchase.
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A practical way to start the game
- Choose the story scope. Decide whether you want only the base campaign or the base game plus Phantom Liberty. If you want Dogtown’s spy-thriller campaign, select an edition that includes the expansion and use a supported platform.
- Confirm platform support. On PlayStation, use PS5 for later patches and expansion access. On PC, compare your hardware with the current target row. On Switch 2, choose physical or digital based on how you manage games and storage.
- Set controls and accessibility first. Configure controller preferences, subtitles, text size, visual-comfort settings, and audio levels before the opening missions. Switch 2 players can decide whether motion, gyro, mouse, or touch input suits them.
- Choose a role for V. Think about the kind of mercenary you want to play and select cyberware upgrades that support that approach. You can then make mission decisions with a consistent character concept instead of changing direction randomly.
- Read consequential conversations. When a dialogue presents conflicting goals, consider the relationships and wider consequences before selecting an answer. The game’s choices are intended to affect the world and story.
- Balance main missions and exploration. Follow the central implant storyline when you want momentum, then take time for optional activities and relationships when you want more context about Night City.
- Approach Phantom Liberty as a new chapter. Expect a spy-thriller tone, Dogtown’s setting, Solomon Reed’s involvement, and a Relic skill tree rather than simply more of the same mission structure.
Common buying and playing mistakes
Buying the expansion without the base game
Phantom Liberty requires Cyberpunk 2077. Check the product description for the base game or choose an Ultimate Edition that explicitly bundles both.
Assuming PS4 receives current content
The PS4 version’s support ended with its November 8, 2022 patch. If later patches or the expansion matter to you, plan around PS5 rather than treating the PS4 edition as equivalent.
Using one generic PC requirement
Ray tracing, resolution, and performance targets change the hardware row that applies. Compare your full system with the target you want, including CPU, GPU, VRAM, memory, and storage.
Confusing advertised controls with tested performance
Switch 2’s motion, gyro, mouse, and touchscreen features are listed by the publisher. They do not constitute an independent test of frame rate or image quality, so do not use them as evidence for performance claims.
Ignoring edition and region details
Physical and digital listings can refer to different platforms or regional packages. Confirm the platform name, included content, and edition before paying, particularly when looking for the 64 GB Switch 2 game card.
How long does Cyberpunk 2077 take to finish?
The official PlayStation FAQ asks, “How long does it take to finish Cyberpunk 2077?” and provides an estimate, but that estimate is undated. It should not be treated as a universal completion time or as a dated statistic. Your total time depends on whether you follow only the main story, pursue relationships and optional activities, explore Night City, and add the Phantom Liberty campaign.
For planning purposes, decide what “finish” means to you: reaching the end of V’s central story, completing the major optional relationship content, or completing both the base game and expansion. Those are different goals, and the open-world structure allows you to set your own pace.
Bottom line: who should play which version?
Choose the base game if you want to experience V’s original Night City story without the expansion. Choose an Ultimate Edition if you want the base game and Phantom Liberty together. On PlayStation, use PS5 for current patches and expansion access; the PS4 version is no longer supported beyond its November 8, 2022 patch. On PC, select the graphics target first and then verify every component against CD PROJEKT RED’s current requirements. On Switch 2, the Ultimate Edition is the portable option, with a physical 64 GB card, digital distribution, and publisher-listed motion, gyro, mouse, and touchscreen controls.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsWhichever platform you choose, Cyberpunk 2077 is fundamentally a story about V trying to survive an implant crisis in a city governed by technology and power. Cyberware, relationships, and decisions are the tools through which you determine what that survival means.
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