Phantom Liberty is a story expansion for Cyberpunk 2077 released on September 26, 2023 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. The developers promise a gripping narrative featuring secret agents, the president of the NUSA, a new Night City district, and a host of gameplay innovations. At Gamescom 2023 a dramatic trailer revealed fresh details about the DLC, which are summarized here.
The trailer situates players in a world where Night City stretches beyond corporate control. The expansion centers on Dogtown, a distinct district where corporate influence fades. This area is largely controlled by the Barghest gang, comprised of ex-military personnel and Militech veterans. Some streets slip into anarchic rule, making Dog City a dangerous zone. Yet the district offers unique opportunities for illicit trade. Arms dealers sell specialized firearms here that are banned elsewhere in Night City. V can even purchase housing in Dog City if desired.
Phantom Liberty also promises a more dynamic open world. Enemies within the same faction may clash, triggering spontaneous firefights. These unpredictable events are among the expansion’s key innovations, with criminals reacting actively to player choices.
Main storyline
The add-on’s events run parallel to the base Cyberpunk 2077 narrative. A shuttle belonging to the U.S. president crashes in Dog City. The president’s assistant, Jay, reaches out to V for help, kicking off a mission to protect the president and uncover a traitor. To succeed, players partner with FRU agents Alex Xenaxis and Solomon Reed. As a reward, they pledge a medicine that could save the hero’s life. Completing Phantom Liberty leads to a new ending for the main game.
Jay is described as an accomplished netrunner and U.S. intelligence analyst. The theory that Jay is a traitor will be resolved as the story unfolds on September 26.
The DLC can be played with the same hero from the original Cyberpunk 2077. It is important to load a save before the point of no return to opt for a new arc focused on the Phantom Liberty story. Players may explore other parts of Night City during main missions.
Johnny Silverhand remains a pivotal figure in Phantom Liberty, with Keanu Reeves recording new lines for the character. No new novels are introduced in the expansion.
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Car battles
The expansion adds standout car battles. Vehicles can be equipped with heavy weapons, rocket launchers, and more. Players can lean out of windows to target tires or gas tanks on enemy SUVs. Netrunners gain the ability to hack opponents’ vehicles and take control or destroy them from a distance.
Car battles are visually spectacular and evoke the best moments from action games, reminiscent of iconic titles in the genre.
Enemies include both bandits and police. Law enforcement now behaves more aggressively, tracking players to the last known location, sharing intel, and setting up roadblocks. Reinforcements like Max-Tak fighters with cutting-edge tech may appear. Bribery of police is not an option, but allies can aid in engagements. Additional vehicle theft and car combat missions will be available as part of the DLC.
Articles from Gamescom 2023
Recycled implants
In the original Cyberpunk 2077 defense was tied to armor choices. In Phantom Liberty, clothing becomes mostly cosmetic, while armor depends on active implants. Humanity decreases as new augmentations are installed, and excessive augmentation may trigger cyberpsychosis. The expansion nods to the cyberpunk anime Edgerunners with related Easter eggs scattered throughout the game.
New pump system
Skill progression resembles a tree with active abilities in the center, improvements along the sides, and ultimate talents at the top. New perks appear as play continues. For example, players can deflect bullets with a katana or throw defeated foes to stagger others. The maximum character level increases to 60, and players can redistribute skill points once per playthrough.
Special relic abilities also appear, enhancing combat implants such as Mantis Blades, Gorilla Arms, Projectile Launcher, and Monostring. These relics are tied to Militech terminals and are found within Dog City.
New weapons
Dog City hides weapons not found elsewhere in Night City, including potent pistols, shotguns, machine guns, and railgun-style rifles. The DLC promises around a hundred new items, spanning weapons and outfits.
Update 2.0
Many Phantom Liberty features will also appear in the base game with Update 2.0, released soon before the DLC. Improvements include smarter AI, tougher policing, a redesigned user interface, a reworked pumping system, and other changes. The update will skip PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions.
Phantom Liberty is more than new content. It aims to be a comprehensive overhaul of Cyberpunk 2077. CD Projekt RED has demonstrated its capability for high‑quality story DLCs, as seen with Blood and Wine for The Witcher 3. The team has set expectations high for the technical stability of this expansion.
Do you think Phantom Liberty and Update 2.0 will fix the bugs in the original game?