Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty – Starter Booklet

STARTER BOOKLET

INTRODUCTION

Phantom Liberty is the culmination of years of hard work on the part of all of our teams. We’re thrilled to finally put this expansion into your hands, chock-full of new stories, characters, gameplay elements, and technical improvements.

Prepare for a high-stakes spy-thriller adventure, one that combines everything that makes CD PROJEKT RED titles so memorable — mature, emotionally driven storytelling and an incredibly rich open world, ripe for exploring. I deeply believe that the story we’ve crafted is one that will stay with you for a long time.

During our first foray into Night City, we couldn’t have expected how much that experience would affect us. Since then, we’ve learned plenty, but one thing never changes — our passion for creating games. Phantom Liberty is the best example of that passion.

IMPORTANT

THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS CLASSIFIED MATERIALS AND HAS BEEN REDACTED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE BY AGENTS OF THE FIA.

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In Phantom Liberty, the stakes start higher than ever before, and only continue to climb from there. You’ll be pulled into a complicated web of intrigue, where nothing is as it seems, and every side plays by its own rules. Who you trust changes everything.

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A GAME OF SHADOWS

A common characteristic of the spy thriller is a keen balance between explosive action and quiet, complicated intrigue. There are countless heart-pounding scenes that keep you on the edge of your seat, but they remain grounded with thrilling combat and heart-breaking moments. Prepare for a high dose of emotion throughout your journey.

Phantom Liberty is a dense narrative, packed with morally gray decisions and a gut-wrenching story with one goal in mind — to strike right at your emotional core. You’ll quickly discover that your adventure in Dogtown is more complicated and demanding than you could have ever expected.

At the beginning, you’re a flesh-and-blood cyberpunk, but what will remain of you? What will happen when you choose the path of a secret agent? One thing’s certain — after the end credits, you’ll never be the same.

BOOTING UP PHANTOM LIBERTY

Cyberpunk 2077 is required to play Phantom Liberty. If you have both installed, you’ll have the option to either load a previous save and play Phantom Liberty with a character you’ve already created, or start a standalone version. When starting with a previous save from before the 2.0 Update, upon starting the game your perks will be reset. You’ll still have all of the points you’ve collected, but the significant changes in the skill trees mean you should spend some time deciding how best to reallocate your points. If you’ve already completed the quest “Transmission”, you’ll be able to play the expansion immediately; otherwise, continue through the main story until Songbird contacts you. If you prefer to start a new game, you’ll have two options:

> S tart the game before the events of Phantom Liberty — Start from the very beginning. Don’t skip any content. Play all of the base game and then Phantom Liberty once you unlock it by progressing through the main story.

> Skip ahead and play Phantom Liberty — Skip ahead in the story to the point in which V begins the Phantom Liberty storyline. All content from both Phantom Liberty and the base game will be fully available from this point.

Picking option two will let you choose your difficulty and lifepath before taking you into the character creator. Your character will automatically start at level 15 with pre-selected cyberware and attribute assignments. The game picks up in Pacifica, some time after the end of Act 1. At this point, you can enter the character menu and select “reset attributes” for one free opportunity to redistribute your attribute and perk points as you see fit.

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A RECAP OF CYBERPUNK 2077

The events of Phantom Liberty are not directly tied to Cyberpunk 2077, but while playing you’ll discover various references and callbacks to missions and characters from the base game.

If this is your first journey into the world of Cyberpunk, or you’re looking for a quick refresher, here are the most important events that take place prior to Phantom Liberty

In Cyberpunk 2077 , you become V, a cyber-enhanced mercenary who is slowly growing their legend with the help of various side jobs and gigs — not altogether legal, but a very in-demand profession. These low-level gigs all culminate in one grand heist — stealing an experimental technology from the highly guarded corpo haven of Konpeki Plaza. V’s mark is none other than Yorinobu Arasaka, son of legendary Saburo Arasaka, the head of one of the most important corporations in the world.

As is often the case in Night City, nothing goes to plan. The experimental technology known as the Relic ends up implanted in V’s head, and Yorinobu’s brazen murder of his father is pinned on V, meaning they’re a dead merc walking. One bullet to the brain later that would likely have been the case, but the Relic saves V’s life in spectacular fashion: it repairs the damage to V’s brain and begins overwriting their neurons with the personality and memories of long-dead rockerboy Johnny Silverhand.

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From this point forward, V must balance their career as a merc with their search for a cure. One lead takes them to the Voodoo Boys, a gang working out of Pacifica who focus their time and energy on attempting to breach the Blackwall and make contact with the rogue AIs behind it. Maman Brigitte, the gang’s leader, offers to help V in return for the merc making the Blackwall dive for them. The deal is rotten from the beginning, but beggars can’t be choosers.

Despite Maman Brigitte’s promises, the Voodoo Boys had no intention of helping V, and didn’t even expect V to survive the trip into the Net. Depending on the player’s choices, the Voodoo Boys and Brigitte are flatlined, or survive — but when starting from just the expansion, the choice is made for the player: V partners with Netwatch and kills Brigitte and the rest of her gang. Once the “Transmission” quest is complete, Songbird will reach out to V and the events of Phantom Liberty will begin to unfold.

Songbird will aid you in your first excursion to Dogtown. The events of the game begin after the netrunner establishes contact with you, at which point the two of you will meet and she will guide you to a back entrance through the Stadium, an important element of Dogtown’s architecture. Afterwards, you’ll have guaranteed access in and out of the district thanks to

As with any other district in Night City, you’ll be able to enter and exit as you wish. However, Dogtown maintains strict control of its borders, so entry is only possible through heavily guarded checkpoints. Don’t be afraid to come and go as you please — there are plenty of secrets waiting for you inside Dogtown’s impenetrable walls. You can learn more about what to expect in the next chapter.

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HOW DOES PHANTOM LIBERTY AFFECT CYBERPUNK 2077?

Phantom Liberty is more than a self-contained story taking place during the events of the base game. It also adds an additional ending to Cyberpunk 2077, one that is dependent upon the relationships you built — or broke — during your journey into Dogtown.

CHAPTER 2

DOGTOWN & ITS HISTORY

Dogtown sits in a ruined part of Pacifica and falls outside of Night City’s jurisdiction. This city-within-a-city is controlled by Kurt Hansen, once a , and now an arms dealer running Dogtown with the help of Barghest, his loyal troops.

What was once meant to be a luxury-filled paradise for the ultrarich is now a crumbling ruin. Construction in the area halted during the Unification War, when Hansen’s troops infiltrated Pacifica and carved out this piece of land. The half-built opulent structures dotting Dogtown contrast with the shoddy structures its citizens live in today.

DOGTOWN & ITS HISTORY

NIGHT CITY’S MOST DANGEROUS DISTRICT

Within its walls, even a Platinum Trauma Team subscription can’t save you, and there isno NCPD police presence to speak of — save for MaxTac, whose AVs are capable of reaching where Night City’s finest can’t. That’s not to say that Barghest doesn’t keep the peace in their own way, but they’re often too concerned with their own problems to step in. Hansen guarantees citizens electricity, food, and water — but that’s all anyone can expect from him.

Why is it that Dogtown hasn’t been abandoned yet? Maybe it’s the promise of freedom, a life outside of corporate control that Hansen promises those who live here. Many people whose life didn’t pan out in Night City turn to Dogtown instead, sometimes because they’re hiding — from the police, from gangs, from any other power. Former military types who struggle with reintegrating into daily life turn to Barghest, since all you need to join is the ability to shoot a gun and follow orders. To round out this picture of Dogtown’s social strata, add in arms dealers, scavengers, common thugs, and kingpins of the underworld to get a better sense of who populates this particular no man’s land.

To best understand the conflict at the heart of Phantom Liberty, it’s worth learning the history of Dogtown’s creation and the unique place it holds during the events of the game. As is often the case, politics plays a substantial role, and the various conflicting interests of multinational powers culminated in creating this small patch of land.

In this section, we present the most important players in this storied conflict, which centers on this small piece of land Hansen wrested from Night City’s control.

DOGTOWN & ITS HISTORY

NEW UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

The NUSA is a country created from the rubble of a previous superpower. Although it has only a fraction of its previous influence, it’s still a notable international player, bolstered by support from Militech.

The collapse of the USA was arguably one of the largest catastrophes of the 21st century, caused by a variety of factors: the growing influence of corporations, natural disasters, a lack of resources, and the global economic crisis (precipitated in large part by the USA itself).

After the World Stock Market Crash of 1994, the country was thrown into a tailspin caused by mass unemployment, a housing crisis, and creeping corruption. Two years later, in 1996, martial law was instituted and the Constitution was suspended, ending the long democratic history of the once-great nation. The result of this action was a humanitarian crisis across North America — without federal support, the death toll rose into the millions. The states were unable to curtail the chaos, and their lack of cooperation resulted in the deaths of even more citizens.

During the Fourth Corporate War, Elizabeth Kress took up the mantle of president, doing her best to keep the struggling nation afloat. She invited corporate support to rebuild the nation and help consolidate various states. Kress’ work was continued by the current president — Rosalind Myers. Her decision to continue Kress’ legacy led to the Unification War between the Free States and the NUSA. Apart from military support thanks to Militech, the NUSA also made use of its Federal Intelligence Agency, sending in agents to gather intelligence in the area and keep the president abreast of forthcoming military attacks.

Night City was mostly spared taking part in the theater of war, but didn’t emerge entirely unscathed. The NUSA, together with Militech, were ready to descend upon the city. FIA agent infiltrated the city and began to build an intelligence cell that would later pave the way for takeover. Simultaneously, a special division led by Kurt Hansen took control over a part of Pacifica for the purpose of preparing the way for later forces. Night City’s leaders forestalled the invasion by turning to Arasaka for support, which graciously agreed to bolster the city’s defenses.

In light of a potential conflict against such an influential corporation, NUSA forces retreated from the city and disavowed any knowledge of Kurt Hansen’s actions. FIA agents were rapidly exfiltrated from the city, though some were told to go to ground while others were sacrificed. Peace was secured with the signing of the Arvin Accord, a hastily drawn up document that ended the fighting but satisfied none of the signatories. As part of the agreement, Night City became an independent free city.

The New United States did manage to avoid further escalation of the war and to annex the Free States, but it simultaneously found itself trapped in the crosshairs of Militech and Arasaka’s cold war. NUSA also found a dangerous new enemy in Kurt Hansen, who refused to exfiltrate Night City and instead set up a smuggling operation in Dogtown, claiming the land for himself.

ARASAKA

One of the most influential corporations of the century, specializing in corporate security, banking, and weaponry. Its largest competitor, with whom it shares a long, bloody history, is Militech.

Arasaka played a role in the Unification Wars — if not for their intervention in Night City, President Myers may have succeeded in annexing the area. Few know of the behind-the-scenes deals that occurred to secure the end of the conflict.

MILITECH

One of the largest military corporations in the world, specializing in the production and distribution of weapons.

Militech and Arasaka were the two largest parties involved in the Fourth Corporate War. The conflict between them led to millions of deaths, as well as the destruction of vast quantities of natural resources — not to mention it triggered an international economic meltdown. After the dust settled, Militech was crowned the victor, though it, much like Arasaka, suffered heavy losses. Around this time the NUSA nationalized Militech’s resources.

BARGHEST

Kurt Hansen’s loyal, trigger-happy troops. Their name comes from a mythological creature in European folklore, whose monstrous doglike specter was said to herald misfortune. Barghest came into existence in the 2070s, when Hansen stormed Pacifica and eventually turned part of the land into Dogtown.

Arasaka’s protection also indirectly led to the creation of Dogtown — Hansen could never have claimed power over Dogtown if not for the NUSA’s scramble to leave Night City in the face of their military might.

Since then, Miltech has regained its independence and grown in strength, though the entangled history between the corporation and the NUSA has made it difficult to tell who owns who — whether the NUSA owns Militech, or Militech the NUSA.

The men in their ranks range from hardened soldiers battling PTSD to desperate street kids, dockland smugglers, mercs, and hustlers of various specialties. At the top of the food chain are the soldiers who were part of Hansen’s invasion; they make up his trusted inner circle. Though the streets are often filled with soldiers, they rarely interest themselves in the problems of Dogtown’s citizens — but if you take to the streets leaving a trail of destruction in your wake, they’re sure to take interest.

Barghest rarely peeks its head outside of Dogtown. It’s here that they’re treated as rulers. Outside of its walls, they’re like any other gang armed to the teeth with dangerous weapons.

DOGTOWN & ITS HISTORY

DOGTOWN & ITS HISTORY

INTERESTING LOCATIONS

Now that you know Dogtown’s history and the factions that have shaped its existence, it’s time to go exploring. The abandoned dream of luxury that haunts the district’s infrastructure makes for some interesting locations to explore — all with their own secrets. Here are a few of the notable ones you may be interested in seeing for yourself.

THE STADIUM

Dogtown’s beating heart, powered by an aging nuclear reactor. This is where you can find the district’s famed black market, where deals abound as long as you’ve got the eddies to see them through. It also happens to be the center of Hansen’s smuggling operation — the cavernous warehouses located underground house all kinds of , from and machine guns to

HEAVY HEARTS

A popular nightclub built in the distinctive shape of a pyramid. At night, it brightens up the skies over Dogtown. Heavy Hearts is the unofficial headquarters , from which the remains locked in a cold war with Colonel Hansen. While the colonel may enjoy surrounding himself with high-profile guests, prefers to work out of the shadows.

DOGTOWN & ITS HISTORY

EVENTIDE RESORT & SPA

The hotel is a postcard from the past, a symbol of what Dogtown was once meant to be — a district brimming with luxuries, high-quality services, and everything the upper class could want. The dream ended with crumbling facades, broken windows, and flooded corridors, though the Voodoo Boys happily made it their home.

BLACK SAPPHIRE

A club few have permission to enter. It’s the ultimate meeting spot for Night City’s creme de la creme. Hansen built his own version of the Afterlife out of the remnants of Dogtown’s most impressive high rise, who in daylight. The Black Sapphire is invite-only, and invitations are hard to come by. The majority of Dogtown’s residents can only look at its ostentatious exterior and listen to the echoes of the raucous party happening in the clouds.

LONGSHORE STACKS

Though it was designed as a haven for hard-working corpos, those very people are now barred from ever setting foot in the district. Even if any of them happened to cross the border, it’s unlikely they’d be impressed by the current conditions of the neighborhood. Dogtown residents are far less picky about their abodes, and have made their homes in the ruins.

DOGTOWN & ITS HISTORY

THE MOTH

A relaxing space that tired souls in Dogtown are drawn to like a moth to a flame. It’s the perfect place to drown your sorrows in silence or share a chat with the owner, whose warm, southern charm lures people in. The bar’s patrons may not be as thrilled to discover the person pouring them drinks is Then again, this is Dogtown. Odds are, people wouldn’t care at all.

EDEN PLAZA

The perfect place to strike a quick deal or simply laze around in the sun — as long as you’re not bothered by the sounds of machine gun fire. Eden Plaza is the perfect place for all of Dogtown’s idle souls, a gathering place where they can while away the time, hopping from one low-level deal to another.

TERRA COGNITA

This was once imagined as a space for overworked parents to drag their braindance-addled brats for some hands-on, high-quality educational content. All that remains of the original dream are overgrown, weed-infested greenhouses. Nowadays, have set up shop here and turned the area into a house of horrors.

GAMEPLAY & NEW MECHANICS

Story, tone, and plot-wise, Phantom Liberty has carved out its own identity within Cyberpunk 2077’s already distinct setting. The same can be said about how the game feels to play. This chapter will break down the new features and gameplay mechanics introduced into the expansion — but before getting into specifics, it’s important to know a bit more about Phantom Liberty’s overall gameplay design philosophy.

GAMEPLAY & NEW MECHANICS

DOGTOWN DENSITY

As an off-limits ‘”district within a district”, Dogtown is built to feel like an ecosystem that runs and exists outside of the rest of Night City’s established order. When you enter Dogtown you’re supposed to feel like you’re stepping foot into a world where you don’t necessarily belong or are familiar with. It’s brand new territory for V. And as you explore the dilapidated streets and ruined remnants of this forgotten district, you’ll find a densely packed collection of side quests, gigs, interesting characters, and stories that all plug into the history, themes, and machinations of Dogtown.

POWER TO THE PLAYER

In Dogtown, as you free-roam and engage with main and side quests, you’ll find more variety, more choices (minor and major), and you’ll have more at your disposal when it comes to building your character. Netrunning has seen a substantial update, for instance, and a new skill tree introduced at the start of the expansion allows you to maximize your playstyle when it comes to high-tier cyberware. You’ll also find new weapons and vehicles exclusive to Phantom Liberty , plus new mission types with their own permutations — all rooted in Dogtown’s gritty facade.

So what’s new exactly? Here’s an overview of all the new features exclusive to Phantom Liberty, covering gameplay, new mission types, and more. Let’s start with the biggest change from a character-building perspective: the Relic skill tree.

GAMEPLAY & NEW MECHANICS

RELIC SKILL TREE hidden inside V’s relic. This opens up a new skill tree in the Character menu, the Relic tree. The tree offers a wide spread of new abilities and can be tailored to different playstyles — from stealth-focused builds to crit-heavy gunslingers, cyberware masters and more. Unlike other skill trees — which use Character Points to level up — the Relic tree uses specific Relic points that you can find by exploring Dogtown itself.

Here are all the new perks introduced in the new Relic tree:

Jailbreak — new abilities unlocked for Mantis Blades, Gorilla Arms, the Projectile Launch System, and Monowire:

> Mantis Blades — dismembering an enemy or performing a finisher with Mantis Blades charges the next leaping attack. A charged leaping attack has longer reach and deals massive damage with a wide slash that hits the target and nearby enemies. Killing an enemy with this attack also dismembers them.

> Gorilla Arms — normal attacks with Gorilla Arms charge them up. When fully charged, a strong attack deals massive damage and creates a shockwave, staggering nearby enemies. Enemies neutralized by this attack will be sent flying.

> Projectile Launch System — allows you to overcharge the Projectile Launch System, which launches projectiles that cover a larger area.

> Monowire — you can now install control quickhacks in a dedicated Monowire mod slot. You can then directly upload these quickhacks to enemies using Monowire-charged strong attacks — without using the quickhack’s RAM cost.

Launch Capacity Override — increases the number of Projectile Launch System charges.

Emergency Cloaking — activating optical camo while in combat causes enemies to lose track of you, allowing you to exit the combat state

Sensory Protocol — when crouched, being detected by an enemy triggers slows down time. Use this window to dodge or dash from the enemy’s line of sight and leave combat immediately.

Vulnerability Analytics — you can now analyze enemies for armor and cyberware weak points. These will be highlighted on the enemy. Hitting these vulnerabilities gives you a critical damage chance and increases armor penetration. When the weak point is fully deleted, it explodes in a radius, damaging nearby enemies.

Machine Learning — destroying an enemy’s vulnerability increases the chance of creating another one, and increases crit damage against vulnerabilities.

Limiter Removal — the Gorilla Arms shockwave attack knocks down all enemies in range.

Spatial Mapping — all leaping attacks with Mantis Blades cripple enemies and increase dismemberment chance against those enemies.

Data Tunneling — when an enemy is affected by a Monowire quickhack, further attacks which hit that enemy and other enemies spread Monowire quickhacks to them.

GAMEPLAY & NEW MECHANICS

OPEN WORLD ACTIVITIES

While forgotten by the rest of Night City, Dogtown is far from dead. It thrives with underground deals, violence, and all-round depravity. Guerilla combat is the order of the day, and as you navigate its streets, you’ll find many opportunities to jump into the fray yourself. Here we’re highlighting the two new openworld mission types you can find in Dogtown: Airdrops and Courier jobs. These missions are infinite and come in the form of multiple variations to ensure that they are not rote and boring to take on. These mission types will generate as you explore Dogtown. They’ll be indicated by a minimap icon — or you can simply spot the airdrop package or vehicle in question as you approach it!

AIRDROPS

AVs in Dogtown will routinely drop cargo meant for Hansen’s Barghest personnel. However, airdrops often contain weapons and supplies that more than just Barghest would like to get their hands on. This includes you! As you move toward the drop zone, you’ll be able to claim airdrops for yourself — if you can survive the likely intense shootout surrounding it.

COURIER MISSIONS

El Capitan — a fixer whose work usually centers around Santo Domingo — has a business proposition for V. It includes the procurement and delivery of certain vehicles to Capitan’s garages. Of course, the vehicles in question are already spoken for, so claiming the cars Capitan wants, and getting them back safely, is not always straightforward. Like airdrops, courier missions are randomly generated and infinite, coming in multiple variations to keep things interesting and different every time. Courier missions also include two unique, non-repeatable story missions.

GAMEPLAY & NEW MECHANICS

NEW GAMEPLAY OVERHAULS

In Phantom Liberty there is a swathe of changes to fundamental gameplay mechanics. These are native to the expansion, but the vast majority of these changes were also made available as part of the free Update 2.0. By doing so, there’s a strong cohesion and parity in terms of raw gameplay fundamentals across the base game and expansion, so seeing as they strongly influence moment-to-moment gameplay in Dogtown, let’s take a quick look at what these updates bring to the table.

Perk/Skills Overhaul — We’ve totally overhauled the perks system, replacing almost all the previous perks and creating new ones that have a much greater impact on gameplay. Our focus has been on slashing iterative perks, and really hone in on opening up gameplay options so you can discover new abilities to help build defined playstyles. What this overhaul encourages is making conscious choices that allow you to master the game while having fun with new mechanics.

Many revamped perks have custom animations, impacting the feel of finishers and quick dashing, for example. Some new perks have also been introduced which have impacts on traversal and combat. Air dashing is a perfect example of this! There’s a lot to discover with the totally rebuilt perks system, and we highly encourage experimentation.

Cyberware and Armor Changes — Now, V has a limit of cyberware that can be installed at any one time. This limit is tied to your level, and increased as you progress through the game and grow your character. Each piece of cyberware you install contributes to the limit, so you do have to be careful about what you spend your money on and how you prioritize cyberware in your build. Armor is also now tied to cyberware rather than clothing. These changes help to make cyberware feel more varied, powerful, and impactful when it comes to gameplay and character building.

Ripperdoc Changes — Visiting a ripperdoc is now more immersive than ever. We’ve overhauled the UI associated with Ripperdoc clinics, so browsing and electing cyberware is simple to understand and feels more grounded in the world of the game. This is boosted by new SFX for ripperdocs, and by the fact that V must sit in the ripperdoc chair to undergo surgery with every piece of added cyberware.

GAMEPLAY & NEW MECHANICS

Police System — Police behavior has been overhauled and improved. This includes police AI as well as the escalation of response to your actions. The new system accumulates your actions over time and raises the heat level when necessary. Each new heat level will add events and change police behavior. As your heat level increases, police officers get more aggressive, deploy stronger units (including MaxTac for the highest heat level), use barricades, and adapt their pursuit tactics accordingly. Thanks to these changes police actions are now more believable, dynamic, and diverse.

Vehicle Combat — The primary loop for car combat is focused on vehicle (cars and bikes) chases and vehicle-on-vehicle combat. You can now fire guns freely as you drive, and you can exploit weak spots of enemy cars (tires and fuel tanks). You can also try to ram enemy cars at high speed. Some cars will also come equipped with externally mounted guns that players and AI can use in combat, so prepare for a serious rampage on the streets of Night City and Dogtown.

Most cars with mounted guns are exclusive to Phantom Liberty; players who own only the base game will also get updated Aldecados cars kitted out with mounted weaponry.

If you are not a fan of guns, you can also use quickhacks during vehicle combat! A few examples include:

> Emergency Brake — force the vehicle to brake and trigger its alarms.

> Self-destruct — after a longer upload period, cause the vehicle to explode.

> Floor It — force the vehicle to accelerate and minimize its turning input so it can’t steer.

Stamina System Changes — Stamina is no longer used for sprinting or jumping. From now on, you’ll use stamina for combat actions, such as shooting, dodging, dashing, or crouch-sprinting. The lower your stamina level, the greater the recoil will be when firing for extended periods in fights — but there are multiple ways to counteract this. Different weapons now have different characteristics regarding how stamina is used. Pistols, for example, cost less stamina to fire and aim than, say, heavy rifles. You can also make use of perks and certain pieces of cyberware to help manage and maximize your stamina.

By experimenting with your equipment and your build, you can find complex and dynamic ways to tailor your build and playstyle to use your stamina resource appropriately, even in the most intense firefights.

Cyberpunk 2077 took you deep into the world of mercenaries, where nothing matters as much as your reputation. Phantom Liberty will submerge you in the world of spies, who play by different rules — the less people know about you, the better. Spies prefer to hide in the shadows; after all, survival hinges upon being invisible.

In Phantom Liberty , you’ll meet some of the greatest living spies, including Solomon Reed, played by Idris Elba. Reed is a professional in every sense of the word, and he’s equally familiar with the concept of double-dealing and unwavering loyalty. He’ll be your guide through the political intrigue that has woven its oppressive web across Dogtown, but he won’t be the only one guiding you through it. You can once more expect Johnny Silverhand’s cutting bon mots as he judges your choices. Not everyone you encounter will be a spy, but expect the same cutthroat treatment wherever you go — you’re deep in Kurt Hansen’s territory, and his oppressive reign has shaped the citizens of Dogtown, whether they like it or not.

CHARACTERS

PRESIDEN T ROSALIND MYERS

The former CEO of Militech, now ruling the New United States of America — a democratically elected position, but her deep military ties certainly don’t hurt. Myers may be in her third term in office, but that doesn’t mean she’s forgotten how to handle a weapon. Despite the years spent in the Oval Office, she’s still a soldier who knows how to fight for survival when the situation demands it.

Myers didn’t make it this far by listening to the call of her conscience. She may not want to treat her people like pawns, but she doesn’t lose any sleep over strategic sacrifice.

SO MI SONG ALIAS: SONGBIRD

An accomplished netrunner who was recruited by the NUSA after dipping her toes into some high-tech ICE. Her new cloak-and-dagger life began when she was still a teenager, and she learned under the wings of the one-and-only Solomon Reed. Together, they completed a fair number of high-stakes missions, including the covert infiltration of Night City during the Unification War.

Nowadays she’s President Myers’ right hand, a netrunner with a skill that doesn’t come easily to most of them: charisma.

There aren’t many people who can keep up with her — except perhaps her former mentor.

CHARACTERS

SOLOMON REED

An experienced FIA agent who’s proven himself countless times in covert intelligence missions. He knows better than anyone how to tap into the countless webs of spies and netrunners, how to extract information, and how to break into even the most tightly guarded places. Reed also has an invaluable eye for talent, and knows best how to nurture it — he was the one who recruited Songbird to the FIA, after all.

During the NUSA’s failed takeover of Night City, ,

He and has laid low in Dogtown ever since, working as But his loyalty is difficult to shake, and despite he remained at his post, ready to be called into action.

ALIAS: ALEX

Once an aspiring braindance actress, Alex was recruited to NUSA’s Federal Intelligence Agency by The aftermath of the Unification War left her , working as an undercover intelligence agent and biding her time until retirement. A talented shapeshifter, she also happens to have a mean streak that seven years undercover in Dogtown did nothing to temper. But as long as she’s playing a part, her true personality won’t peek through.

JOHNNY SILVERHAND

Everyone’s favorite rockerboy, still whiling away his time inside V’s head. He remains as sarcastic and cutting as ever, and his difficult past in the army makes V’s involvement with the NUSA a tough pill to swallow. Johnny readily shares his opinions on the choices V makes, though as always they’re layered with the same thoughts going through V and Johnny’s head: the success of this mission means he’ll cease to exist. Maybe that’s something he can come to terms with, but the idea of being beholden to the NUSA? Not so much.

CHARACTERS

COLONEL KURT HANSEN

The self-proclaimed leader of Dogtown, who carved out this patch of land for himself during the Unification War. When the NUSA chose to retreat in the face of Arasaka’s forces, he saw an opportunity and stayed behind with the remaining troops, who eventually became the first Barghest soldiers. Together, they transformed the Combat Zone into a lawless, taxation-free haven for society’s worst. Hansen funds Dogtown from the profits of his large-scale smuggling operation, and maintains his control with an iron fist.

Despite this, people who meet him are disappointed to find he’s nothing like the bloodthirsty warlord of their imagination. His sharp gaze and subtle method of gaining the upper hand in conversations have helped him maintain his rule for a decade.

AURORE & AYMERIC CASSEL

Twin netrunners for whom morals are interchangeable with money. Aurora is the louder of the two, always ready for a good time especially when there’s a life or two on the line. Aymeric is the quieter, but that’s no reason to underestimate him — that cool exterior belies his sharp and ruthless nature.

The Cassels take their business around the world, wherever there happens to be a good payout. Their fruitful career has garnered them enemies on both sides of the Atlantic, but it hardly seems to bother them — they both love to live life in the fast lane.

ALIAS: MR. HANDS

Night City’s most mysterious fixer who has his own designs for Dogtown. Hands may act like a smooth-talking gentleman, but don’t be fooled — his every move is calculated to bring about maximum profit for himself. Few ever see his face, but he’s been building his web of connections across Dogtown for some time.

Hands is an ambitious man, one who has no love for the limelight — but a certain desire for power. And it seems Dogtown is where he’s chosen to expand his control.

DOGTOWN RESIDENTS

Aside from the many people who’ll play a larger role during your mission in Dogtown, you’ll also have the chance to meet some of the district’s residents. It’s a district roiling with outsize personalities, from bathwater-hawking BD stars to indefatigable boxers, anti-corpo con men, and ripperdocs who moonlight as angels of death.

The people you meet may know nothing of the intricate political conspiracy you’re tangled up in — all they care about is making it to the next day. Traveling through Dogtown, keep your eyes peeled, not only for Hansen’s soldiers lurking around, but to get a better sense of the world you’ve stepped into and the many hidden stories that lie in wait.

MISSIONS, GIGS, AND SIDE QUESTS

Like any other district in Night City, the local fixer – has some gigs for you to handle. He’s been drawing an intricate spider’s web of connections and favors that he’s keen to draw you into. Though the missions range from the bizarre to the heart-breaking, they all play a role in his larger vision for the district. You may not like it, but at the very least is fair in his deals: you scratch his back, he’ll scratch yours.

The following missions are a small sampling of what you can expect to find when traversing Dogtown. Even when you stray away from the main narrative of the game, prepare to be confronted with difficult, morally ambiguous decisions and rich, mature storytelling.

MISSIONS, GIGS, AND SIDE QUESTS

GIG: WAITING FOR DODGER

The NCPD is here to chase criminals and protect the populace. In theory. But in practice, they may not always be up to the task of protecting themselves. Take for example Bill and Charles, two men in blue who are stuck in an abandoned precinct surrounded by Hansen’s men. That, it turns out, is the least of their problems.

It’s your lucky day — time to give Night City’s finest a helping hand.

GIG: DOGTOWN SAINTS

Trauma Team doesn’t come to Dogtown, and even if they did, they’d be hard pressed to find anyone who can afford their services. Instead, residents turn to kindly rippers like Anthony Anderson, who runs a clinic out of an abandoned church and gives to those in need. But not everyone appreciates his services: he’s currently being held hostage by Nina Yankovich and her people. Even Dogtown’s most saintlike have secrets weighing on their conscience, and nothing is as black and white as it seems.

GIG: PROTOTYPE IN THE SCRAPER

Scavs have multiplied in Dogtown like roaches. They’ve turned Dogtown’s rusted-out skyscraper skeletons into their own personal hideouts. Inside one such place, they managed to squirrel away a priceless prototype belonging to Zetatech after intercepting a convoy. Now it’s your turn to get it back.

You may already think you know how this mission ends — with a wagon of corpses and a tidy sum in your account — but a last-minute surprise means you’ll have to work harder than you expected to fill up that wagon of corpses and earn your eddies.

GIG: TALENT ACADEMY

As a general rule, corporations are banned from Dogtown, but they have their ways of getting in — such as the almighty Eurodollar.

As a matter of fact, Dogtown is the perfect place for them, a land far away from the NCPD and the prying eyes of journos. Here, they can break the law as they see fit — well, unless they happen to get in someone’s way. That’s where you come in.

Your mission is to break into Biotechnica’s top-secret facility and steal some client data. What kind of clients, and what kind of data… well, you better find that out for yourself.

MISSIONS, GIGS, AND SIDE QUESTS

GIG: THE MAN WHO KILLED JASON FOREMAN

In Dogtown, you’re on your own. NCPD won’t help and calling Barghest was never an option. Justice? If you don’t have what it takes to mete it out yourself, better to forget about it. In the Stacks, people know this rule well, which is why when one of Hansen’s men zeros eight residents, they call someone like you.

This particular gig will show you Dogtown in a new light — and it won’t be particularly flattering. Your morals may get dragged through the mud, but that’s nothing new here.

SIDE QUEST: BALLS TO THE WALL

When you find yourself around Hansen’s tower, don’t hesitate to stop by the tents pitched outside. There you’ll meet Paco, who is, to borrow an elegant turn of phrase, in deep shit. It’s like he doesn’t know when to quit shoveling. Paco wanted to join Barghest, but now they’re breathing down his neck and he’s run out of options. But there’s no reason to count him out just yet: some people have a talent for talking their way out of anything.

Take a listen to his story; he’s got a way with words that leaves you feeling as if you’d actually experienced them first-hand.

SIDE QUEST: NO EASY WAY OUT

Aaron Waines has a problem, and since he’s a friend of Coach Fred’s, you can’t exactly turn down his request Aaron is a decent boxer, but there are a few people who have a vested interest in making sure he’s knocked out in every round. You know how it is — constant failure is no way for a man to live.

Of course, things get complicated, and quickly; prepare for a shootout, tears, and a moral hangover that hurts more than a right hook. No worries, that’s not a spoiler. It’s just how Dogtown works.

GIG: SPY IN THE JUNGLE

There’s an old joke: what is it that draws spies to Dogtown like a moth to a flame? Sorry, that’s classified. Alright, that’s enough joking around — the eddies won’t collect themselves. A certain Mark Bana from the Brazilian service has disappeared somewhere in Dogtown. His compatriots are very interested in finding him. Help out your fellow spooks and lend a hand.

This particular gig is yet more proof that wherever spies go, you’ll find more questions than answers.

THE MUSIC OF PHANTOM LIBERTY

“Attitude” summed up the music of Cyberpunk 2077, and Phantom Liberty takes it even further. But the attitude here manifests in a way that’s very closely tied to the spy-thriller tone of Phantom Liberty’s story. The score is inextricably linked with the characters and important players of the story to create a cohesive undercurrent of intensity and mystique, underpinned by the hard-hitting edge of Cyberpunk 2077’s musical landscape.

Like the transition from mercenary to spy that V undergoes as they enter the world of Dogtown, you’ll find a familiar aesthetic in the musical language of Phantom Liberty, but a distinct one that takes things deeper into the murkier, more elusive atmosphere connected with high-tech spies, governmental intrigue, and high-stakes espionage. Where in Cyberpunk 2077 we wanted the music to help players feel like a true cyberpunk as they play, with Phantom Liberty we want players to feel like they’ve entered a world they may not be prepared for, where there is always the chance of betrayal, where life in the shadows is brimming with risk. After all, the life of a spy is never easy, and someone is always either one step ahead of you, or breathing down your neck.

THE MUSIC OF PHANTOM LIBERTY

RADIO AND SOUNDTRACK

Alongside a dedicated original score, Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty also includes brand-new music featured across radio stations and as part of the official soundtrack. The new radio stations will also be implemented into the base game via a free update around the launch of Phantom Liberty; however, it should be noted that all new music coming to the game was created for the development of the expansion.

Full credit to all winners of the competition, and before we say anymore, here’s how the the full Growl FM playlist shapes up in the expansion:

Aleyna Moon, Shrinjay Ghosh — FUMES

Coeur Noir — Let The Stars Die

D.O.H. — Look Through My Kiroshis

Skin on Flesh — El Tiempo

Entolim — LIT

NEW RADIO STATIONS

In Phantom Liberty, we have three brand-new radio stations featuring new tracks. This is the diegetic music V will be able to hear while driving, or through radios placed in the environment. Each station has its own feeling and character. Let’s look at them in more detail:

ESAI, Pure 100% — Nebula

Frost, Justtjokay, Dubbygotbars, Knyvez — Killshot

Kiba — Slipstream

NoWorld — Do or Die

Red Dead Roadkill — Flatline

Spirit Machines — Candy Shell

St. Aurora – Going to Heaven

Thai McGrath (ft. JustCosplaySings) — Afterlife

89.7 GROWL FM

This is a special station for us. Growl FM is our community curated radio station, consisting entirely of music recorded by members of our community! We opened up a competition for community members to record and submit songs, and we had a near overwhelming response. We judged over 8000 submissions to finally establish the final playlist for the station, and we were constantly taken aback and grateful to see how much excitement, passion, and talent poured into our inboxes!

春ねむり さまよえるままゆけ

In addition to having these awesome tracks as a celebration of our talented community, Growl FM also features a special DJ host, Ash, played by Sasha Grey. Sasha brings Ash to life with a great enthusiasm and spirit, and Ash, together with the music featured on the station, brings a real burst of gritty energy to Dogtown, perfectly in keeping with the daily toil of this deadly district.

THE MUSIC OF PHANTOM LIBERTY

107.5 DARKSTAR RADIO

The idea behind this radio was to curate a playlist with modern world music. Imagine international music of the future, in which acoustic instruments are replaced with processed samples and synthesizers. The style of the playlists covers energetic hip-hop, dark house music, avant-garde electronica, and bass music — with contributors from around the world bringing their own cultural spin. We have a great selection of international artists: British-Armenian Hagop Tchaparian, Ecko Bazz from Uganda, Lord Spikeheart (Nairobi), Zambian-Canadian Backxwash, as well as some Polish gems like Julek Ploski, T’ien Lai, Połoz and 27.Fuckdemons. Highlights of the playlist are two tracks by Idris Elba himself: “Choke Hold” and “Rolla”.

99.9 IMPULSE RADIO FT. IDRIS ELBA

For Impulse Radio, we’re thrilled to feature an Idris Elba DJ set. Comprising the opening track, “Walk of Shame” produced by Elba himself, alongside tracks produced by Polish duo Private Press, Impulse Radio’s playlist runs over one hour long. Elba mixed the set, acting as DJ for the entire playlist — utilizing Elba’s own passion, experience, and talent as a DJ. Elba has been performing as a DJ for a long time, and even after finding global fame as an actor, he still enjoys producing music and taking part in live gigs — so it’s fantastic to make this a part of the game, providing Elba with his own in-game persona. And the radio isn’t necessarily the only place you’ll find people listening to Impulse radio and vibing with this set. An in-game concert for the set can be found in Dogtown!

THE MUSIC OF PHANTOM LIBERTY

FEATURING DAWID PODSIADŁO

Is it really a spy-thriller without a classic spy song in the mix? For the closing track “Phantom Liberty” (taken after the name of the expansion) we went big. We’re proud and thankful to have one of Poland’s most talented and popular vocalists, Dawid Podsiadło, as the lead singer for the track. We worked with Dawid for Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, and it’s great to have him back for this, too. This track is based on the So Mi and Reed theme, while the lyrics are Dawid’s interpretation of the relationship between these two characters.

In terms of production for the track, we didn’t hold back. To achieve a vintage, classic sound, we recorded piano, drums, bass, guitars, and percussion — plus, Marcin Przybyłowicz orchestrated the piece.

We recorded this track live with the Czech National Symphony Orchestra in Prague.

DISCOVER THE CYBERPUNK 2077 UNIVERSE

CYBERPUNK: EDGERUNNERS

Created in collaboration with the legendary Studio Trigger (Kill la Kill, Little Witch Academia), Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is the first ever anime from CD PROJEKT RED. It tells a standalone, 10-episode story about a street kid trying to survive in a technology and body modification-obsessed city of the future. Follow the journey of teenage protagonist David Martinez. Riddled with debt in the aftermath of a personal tragedy, David makes a decision to enter the deadly underworld of Night City in order to take control of his own destiny and spit in the face of a city that has taken everything from him. He chooses to become an edgerunner — a mercenary outlaw also known as a cyberpunk.

The series was released on Netflix to critical acclaim, remaining in the top-watched list for several weeks. It went on to win Anime of the Year from the Anime Awards, among other distinctions.

Hiroyuki Imaishi (Gurren Lagann, Kill la Kill, Promare) directed the show, with Yoh Yoshinari ( Little Witch Academia, BNA: Brand New Animal) working as chief character designer as well as executive animation director. Masahiko Otsuka ( Star Wars: Visions ‘The Elder’ ) and Yoshiki Usa (GRIDMAN UNIVERSE series) created the screenplay based on the story provided by CD PROJEKT RED’s Narrative Designer, Bartosz Sztybor. The original score was composed by Akira Yamaoka (Silent Hill series), and the series also features music from acclaimed artists including Franz Ferdinand, Dawid Podsiadło, and more. The show was created by Rafał Jaki.

DISCOVER THE CYBERPUNK 2077 UNIVERSE

CYBERPUNK 2077: NO COINCIDENCE

For the latest high-octane dose of cyberpunk literature, check out the recently released Cyberpunk 2077: No Coincidence, written by acclaimed sci-fi author Rafał Kosik. This electrifying novel follows a ragtag group of strangers, including a veteran turned renegade, a sleeper agent for Militech, a computer nerd, a therapist, a ripperdoc, and a techie as they discover the dangers of Night City are all too real.

EVEN MORE STORIES FROM NIGHT CITY

Still looking for more adventures set in Night City? We’ve created several comic books and graphic novels set in the most dangerous city of the dark future, written by talented scriptwriters (including CD PROJEKT RED’s Bartosz Sztybor) and illustrated by renowned artists from around the world.

DISCOVER THE CYBERPUNK 2077 UNIVERSE

CYBERPUNK 2077 X CD PROJEKT RED GEAR

Shop the merch of the dark future — from preem threads to the perfect accessories for an aspiring cyberpunk. In our GEAR store you’ll find plenty of merch from the world of Cyberpunk 2077 , Cyberpunk: Edgerunners , and Phantom Liberty , including figurines, t-shirts, hoodies, and much, much more.

PROJECT ORION

Players can expect a follow-up to Cyberpunk 2077 ! Currently codenamed Project Orion, the upcoming video game set in the dark future will be created at CD PROJEKT RED’s Boston studio.

THE COMPANY

ABOUT CD PROJEKT RED

CD PROJEKT RED is a game development studio founded in 2002. With over 20 years in the industry, the Studio’s flagship titles include Cyberpunk 2077 , its upcoming expansion Phantom Liberty , and The Witcher series of games, including the critically acclaimed The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and its two award-winning expansions. Headquartered in Warsaw, the studio also has offices in Krakow, Wroclaw, Vancouver, and is currently creating a Boston office to drive development on Project Orion . With over 1,000 game-making professionals at its heart, CD PROJEKT RED strives to create the very best role-playing games on the planet. It’s an international company that never strays from its small-scale, rebel roots, and always keeps the player in mind at every turn.

CREDITS

TEXT

Ryan Bowd

Łukasz Gręda

Marcin Łukaszewski

Alicja Zapalska

EDITING & PROOFREADING

Marcin Łukaszewski

Weronika Białek

Filip Downar

Karol Matyasik

Patrick Mills

Marta Piwońska

GRAPHIC DESIGN

Anastazja Kudra

Adam Kieres

Agnieszka Momot

Kamil Pruszyński

Kuba Styperek

Grzegorz Fijas

SUPERVISION & DIRECTION

Matthew Woodland

PRODUCTION

Inga Kosim