Summary
It may be an understatement to say thatCyberpunk 2077didn’t get off to the best start. At launch, the highly anticipated RPG from the minds behind the best-sellingThe Witcherseries was crawling with game-breaking bugs and suffered from quality-of-life issues and cut content. Asmore information aboutCyberpunk 2077’sPhantom LibertyDLC gets revealed ahead of its September 27 release date, CD Projekt Red’s most contentious release could cement a different legacy.
For many gamers,Cyberpunk 2077was more than just a broken, messy release. CD Projekt Red had garnered an immeasurable amount of goodwill over the years for its commitment to crafting well-written, thoughtfully crafted single-player games, free from inclusions like microtransactions that have spoiled many AAA releases from major developers. The reputation of the company alongside the impressive gameplay and feature reveals led many to believe thatCyberpunk 2077was going to be a genre-defining experience. So, when it released with countless issues, many felt like they were taken advantage of and manipulated. However, in the years following its release,Cyberpunk 2077has had a redemption arc, and it looks like its story is being rewritten. With all the changes coming through thePhantom LibertyDLC, CD Projekt Red could shift the narrative ofCyberpunk 2077even further.
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Phantom Liberty Could be a Soft Relaunch of Cyberpunk 2077
With the arrival of bug fixes, a next-gen version, and new features, it can be argued thatCyberpunk 2077is an almost completely different game from when it initially released. Still, the core of the game is mostly the same as it was in late 2020, andPhantom Libertyis its first major expansion.
Phantom Libertywill be adding an entirely new storyline and region toCyberpunk 2077, which will greatly alter the game. However, the DLC will be launching alongside a massive update to theCyberpunk 2077base game, which is set to rework things like AI and skill trees. The addition ofnewCyberpunk 2077side content, major areas to explore, gameplay changes, and quality-of-life improvements could mean thatCyberpunk 2077becomes almost an entirely new game this September.
Moreover, thehype behindPhantom Libertymirrors the marketing push of the base game, with CD Projekt Red heavily promoting the expansion, a steady stream of new information being revealed, and pre-orders being filled. In the case of the base game, all this hype ended in a good deal of disappointment and frustration.
Although CD Projekt Red may be repeating the hype of the base game, it surely does not want to repeat its initial launch.Phantom Libertywill be the only DLCforCyberpunk 2077, and CD Projekt Red set the bar high with the DLCs forThe Witcher 3, so there is an expectation thatPhantom Libertybe expansive and filled with high-quality content. If the expectations ofPhantom Libertyare met or, better yet, exceeded, then it has the potential to totally rewrite the history of the game.
One thing should be clear - CD Projekt Red cannot afford forPhantom Libertyto repeat the failures ofCyberpunk 2077. The company has been rebuilding trust with gaming audiences, which has taken effort, resources, time, and luck, and all of that rebuilt trust could be destroyed for good ifPhantom Libertydoesn’t succeed. Gaming audienceslook more favorably onCyberpunk 2077now, but nothing can match the impact that an instant, day-one success can have.Cyberpunk 2077missed its opportunity for instant positive reception, butPhantom Libertystill has a chance for it, and sticking the landing could mean that the game can reap the benefits of a completely fresh start.
Cyberpunk 2077is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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