What you need to know
- Cyberpunk 2077 launched back in 2020 due to poor reception due to bugs, glitches, and performance problems.
- After years of patches, updates, and an awesome DLC/Expansion in Liberty City, Cyberpunk is one of the best games and experiences you can have in gaming.
- The free trial is for Xbox Series X|S and PS5 players. It starts on March 28th at 8 a.m. PDT and ends on March 31st at 11:59 p.m. PDT.
- You can play anytime during the trial period but can only play 5 hours total for the trial period.
Cyberpunk 2077. A masterpiece of a game that was hindered by so many issues at launch that the beauty of Night City, the horror of the macabre future it depicts, and the awesome storyline were all lost to the noise of outrage. If you were swayed back in 2020 to not purchase or try out Cyberpunk 2077, now is a great time to rectify that by trying out a free trial that is heading to current-generation consoles this upcoming weekend.
If you want to know more about our thoughts on Cyberpunk 2077, check out our review of the original game, as well as our review of the outstanding Phantom Liberty expansion.
How can I play Cyberpunk 2077 for free?
As you can see from the image above, there isn't a ton of information needed to know about the free trial. It is available for Xbox Series X|S and PS5 players. You don't need a subscription to play it (likely referring to a PS+ or Xbox Game Pass Core subscription) and it runs from 8 a.m. PDT on March 28th to 11:59 p.m. on March 31st. Finally, it's worth noting that you can only play for a total of 5 hours.
While the information about the trial is easily digestible and doesn't require much extra explanation, I do want to attempt to persuade everybody I can to try out and play this game. I beat Cyberpunk 2077 a couple of years ago and still remember it being one of my favorite games. I haven't had time to go back and play Phantom Liberty yet, but I know it will be well worth my time when I do.
It's possible that some people have played the game on PC but haven't been able to try it out on a console yet. I was surprised how well the game runs on my Xbox Series X and that is where I played my entire play through, so it might be worth trying out the free trial just to see how the game performs for yourself.
Is Cyberpunk 2077 worth playing in 2024?
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With the recent Phantom Liberty expansion that came out at the end of 2023, the CP2077 2.0 update was released for the base Cyberpunk 2077 game and made it a completely different experience than when it launched. The patch revamped perks and skill trees, enhanced combat (including on vehicles), overhauled police and combat AI, and made the entire game more of a sandbox action game.
I recommend giving the game another try if you bounced off it back in 2020 or 2021. It is a unique experience with memorable characters and great acting that immerse you in the game. The entire game is dripping in ambiance and, similar to the fantastic Cyberpunk Edgerunner's anime, allows the beauty of hope and friendship to shine through a dreadful, forsaken, and fallen future that poignantly magnifies the worst parts of the human condition.
Cyberpunk 2077 is not an expensive game at this point, you can grab a copy from the links below, but I would personally recommend playing the trial, and if you like it grab the Base game and Phantom Liberty DLC bundle\Ultimate Edition to play the game and get the best experience possible. You can get the Xbox version of the Ultimate edition at Best Buy, or the Steam version of the game at GoG.com.
If you go into Cyberpunk 2077 with an open mind and the right attitude, I can almost guarantee you will have an amazing experience, and hey, you can't beat the low, low price of free during this trial weekend. I'll see you in Night City.
