There’s so much new in Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty that fans are calling it Cyberpunk 2.0.
Attendees of Summer Game Fest: Play Days were recently treated to hands-on time with Cyberpunk 2077’s one and only expansion, Phantom Liberty. As such, we have a much better idea of how it’s shaping up, and by all accounts, it looks set to go a long way towards further improving the troubled title’s reputation following its disastrous launch in 2020.
As we discussed in our Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty preview, the upcoming “spy-thriller” DLC ushers in such sweeping changes to the core experience that it’s hard to tell if it’s even really the same game. There are major redesigns to many of the base game’s systems, skills and perks have been completely overhauled, and vehicle combat has been added, to name but a few.
Given just how big CD Projekt Red is going in terms of alterations and new additions, many fans see Phantom Liberty as less of an add-on to Cyberpunk 2077 and more of a straight-up sequel.
Over on the Cyberpunk subreddit, user headin2sound said: “This is not a DLC. This is Cyberpunk 2.0”. An equally thrilled bow_to_tachanka commented: “This is insane, it’s almost like a sequel. I thought they’d change the game up a bit but not THIS much.” And many players, such as Hektoncheres, are glad they held off on making that return trip to Night City. “This makes me so damn glad I’ve waited to start my second play-through until the DLC launches,” they said. “It’ll be like playing a different game altogether almost.”
Thankfully we don’t have long to wait to see just how much Phantom Liberty mixes things up, as a September 26 release date was confirmed in a slick new trailer unveiled yesterday during the Xbox Games Showcase 2023. Pre-orders for the expansion are now live, and it’s priced at $29.99 / £24.99.
For more on what the Witcher studio is currently working on, check out our guide to upcoming CD Projekt Red games.