Cyberpunk 2077 has an undeniably rocky start when it launched in December 2020, but it’s come a long way since then with a variety of improvements and fixes. After having to play catch-up the last couple years, CD Projekt Red is finally moving forward with the promised DLC for Cyberpunk 2077, revealing that the first expansion, titled Phantom Liberty, will see V recruited by the New United States Government. With the first expansion finally announced, here’s everything we know about Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty.
When will Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty be released?
At the moment, Phantom Liberty only has a release window of 2023, but we don’t know when in the year the expansion will hit. Considering the Witcher 3’s next-gen update is still planned for Q4 2022, it’s unlikely we’ll see a release window announcement for Phantom Liberty until that’s released.
What are the Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty platforms?
Now there is a bit of a catch with Phantom Liberty, as the expansion will only be arriving on next-gen platforms, meaning PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. This is likely because of how the base game suffered on previous-gen hardware, as the game’s launch on PS4 and Xbox One was notoriously plagued by bugs, rough performance, and more. Updates since launch have improved Cyberpunk 2077 on those consoles, but they still pale in comparison to the PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC versions.
What is the Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty story?
The short teaser trailer for Phantom Liberty doesn’t reveal a ton, but it does have some tantalizing hints. As the trailer opens some scenes of Night City, we hear V being sworn in to serve the New United States of America. It certainly seems like big trouble is brewing, and near the end, we hear the voice of Johnny Silverhand cut in and say “Taking that oath. Bad idea.” Yes, Keanu Reeves is returning to reprise his role as Johnny, but at the moment it’s not quite clear how his role in this story will play out. Although we don’t know exactly what V will be doing for the New United States, the expansion is described as a “spy thriller” so there’s bound to be plenty of corporate espionage shenanigans. To add to that, during the reveal livestream, game director Gabriel Amatangelo said “It’s a new style of plot we’re having fun with.
What’s new in Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty?
Apart from story details, we know very little about what Phantom Liberty will introduce to Cyberpunk 2077. There’s going to be a brand new district of Night City to explore, but CD Projekt has yet to detail what makes this new district unique.
There are three new weapons we see in the reveal trailer, with a red-tinged katana and an explosive shotgun feeling pretty par for the course. The really interesting part is what looks like some kind of whip-like weapon, with a few seconds of gameplay showing V using the weapon on a room of enemies. Past that, CD Projekt will unveil more gameplay details at a later date.
