Cyberpunk 2077 is arguably the most notorious game in recent memory. After several delays, it launched in a nearly unplayable state on most platforms, especially the PS4 and Xbox One. Over the past two years, developer CD Projekt Red has released a slew of patches and updates that have made the title relatively playable on the best gaming PCs, as well as the PS5 and Xbox Series X. Now, the company has announced Cyberpunk 2077’s first expansion, Phantom Liberty.
The trailer in question sees protagonist V swearing an oath of office for the New American presidency. Johnny Silverhand (played by Hollywood star Keanu Reeves), also makes a return.. Over the past two years, developer CD Projekt Re has released a slew of patches and updates that have made the title relatively playable on the
We can applaud CD Projekt for continuing to update Cyberpunk 2077, and for trying to salvage the title. Phantom Liberty could be kind of experience that CD Projekt promised during the game’s official E3 2019 cinematic trailer. But even as someone who has sunk nearly 100 hours into the PC version of Cyberpunk 2077, I have to question if this expansion can set the game on the right course. It could be too little, too late.
Broken trust
CD Projekt RED became a darling of the video game industry thanks in large part to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. While The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings was a critical success, the third installment catapulted the video game adaptation of Andrzej Sapkowski’s novels into the mainstream. Although it's based on the book series rather than the games, Netflix’s The Witcher series no doubt exists due to the popularity of Witcher 3.
The Witcher 3's massive popularity contributed to the hype behind Cyberpunk 2077. You could argue that said hype was undeserved, considering that Witcher 3 was CD Projekt Red’s sole smash-hit. Nevertheless, expectations for Cyberpunk 2077 were astronomically high. Even if the game had launched in a rock-solid state, it’s doubtful it would have lived up to what people had constructed in their heads. Of course, what really happened was far worse than a title that simply fell short.
We've documented much of the game's history, including Cyberpunk 2077 being hit with a class action lawsuit, staff members detailing the game's disastrous development, Steam players ditching the game, the title's return to the PlayStation store after being pulled for six months and a round-up of its worst bugs. There's more, but this gives you an idea of what the game faced after launch.
Suffice it to say that, I, and likely many others, will approach this DLC with a healthy dose of skepticism. Again, I genuinely enjoyed Cyberpunk 2077 despite its numerous technical issues and dated open-world design. I’ll probably play Phantom Liberty. But I’m going to temper my expectations before diving in.
And even if Phantom Liberty is a well-put-together expansion, will it be enough to save the game? Anything related to this project, or developed by the studio, will face severe scrutiny, both warranted and unwarranted. People love a good redemption story, but they might also enjoy seeing Cyberpunk 2077 take another critical drubbing. If the DLC is universally praised, then perhaps there’s a chance for salvation. But that chance seems slim.
Next-gen only
Phantom Liberty is an expansion that’s coming only to PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X. I find this fact interesting, considering that I've said game should never have come to PS4 and Xbox One. In fact, one of the reasons why CD Projekt Red delayed the game to December 10, 2020 was because the it needed extra time to get the title running on last-gen systems.
Though the current-gen versions of Cyberpunk 2077 had their fair share of technical hiccups at launch, they ran far better than their last-gen counterparts. This isn’t surprising, considering the power of the PS5 and Xbox Series X. But it justified my belief that Cyberpunk 2077 would have fared better if it had launched only on systems that could handle it. Phantom Liberty being strictly “next-gen” seems like the right course of action.
Since Phantom Liberty is coming to PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X, I’m curious to see what, if any, features the expansion might implement that are possible only on modern hardware.
Outlook
Games such as Sea of Thieves, No Man’s Sky, Rainbow Six Siege and even Fallout 76 were able to overcome their rocky beginnings to eventually become highly successful. In that sense, it’s not impossible that Cyberpunk 2077 could have its own redemption arc.
However, those other titles were multiplayer endeavors that constantly need to renew themselves via expansions anyway. It's true that The Witcher 3 had a long shelf-life due to its numerous expansions. But most single-player titles tend to wane and all-but vanish shortly after they come out. Maybe Cyberpunk 2077 will buck this trend, but given its history, it seems unlikely. Trust isn't a thing that's easily mended, after all.
The Phantom Liberty expansion won’t be here for some time, which could serve to work in Cyberpunk 2077's favor. Perhaps knowing that the game is getting a substantial add-on could spur more folks to buy the base game, and thus build an audience that never experienced the title’s rocky launch. The game is currently in an acceptable state. But even new players will have heard about Cyberpunk 2077's difficulties. Its reputation is difficult to escape.
While I'd love to see Cyberpunk 2077 rise from the proverbial ashes, I doubt it will ever shed its troubled past. The game's history is too well-documented at this point for anyone to come in without any preconceived notions. To that end, I’ll place my hopes on a brand-new installment instead. I think Cyberpunk 2077 is finished.
Next: Here's why this is the best time to play Cyberpunk 2077.
