DLC is exciting for existing Cyberpunk 2077 players because there is ample room for further exploration of the existing game world. While fans might have to wait years for the Cyberpunk sequel, the details provided as a part of Phantom Liberty might just provide some clues as to what themes and areas the next game will explore.

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What Lies in Store for Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty

Cyberpunk 2077 is never subtle about the forces at play in Night City, and neither is the release trailer for Phantom Liberty. The trailer reveals shots of futuristic prison complexes, a dead government official bleeding out on a seal for the “New United States of America,” and combat with protagonist V seemingly acting in service to the government. It also includes a haunting audio clip of a female V committing herself to work with the government, an oath that Johnny Silverhand foresees as a colossal mistake.

While V was previously able to embark on quests involving the Night City mayoral election, as well as work with NCPD Detective River Ward, so there are certainly questions about how the government has contributed to the issues plaguing Night City. With V’s sudden commitment to the government, there are exciting avenues for storytelling whether V is going undercover or truly committed. The ramification of V’s choices here could be further explored in the sequel.

Phantom Liberty Will Have New Faces, New Places

Phantom Liberty will feature a new plot and a cast of characters around a different part of Night City. Recent Cyberpunk 2077 DLC leaks have alleged that it will occur in a district called “The Combat Zone,” an unexplored area that could be in either the North or South Badlands - two locations on the map that are not fully accessible in the base game. There are rumors that V will interact with a new netrunner called Songbird, and if they’re important enough that presence could even bleed into a sequel.

The DLC might also give clues as to what locations in the New United States of America players will explore going forward. Beyond the badlands outside the city, the Phantom Liberty trailer appears to show soldiers guarding a border wall. While the main game attributed the constant disappearance of Night City citizens to corporations like Militech and Arasaka, this might offer a slightly different story. The Combat Zone could be a prison complex for the government, and if so it’s possible that V is planning to break into the complex to ground one of Cyberpunk 2077’s stealthy infiltration sequences.

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Phantom Liberty Might Add New Endings for Cyberpunk 2077 to Build Upon

The DLC is also rumored to have multiple endings, following the pattern of the main game. This update might raise questions for fans who have finished the main game, especially if it has to build off Cyberpunk 2077’s multiple endings that vary wildly depending on the choices a player makes.

The stakes seem higher than ever for V, especially if they are getting mixed up with the game’s most significant institution. If endings depend on V’s allegiance to the government, it would be incredible to see the consequences of V’s actions carried out in a sequel. Maybe V dissolves the government, allowing the confirmed Cyberpunk 2077 sequel to take place in an era of anarchy. Otherwise, V could become the country’s new president, sowing the seeds of an unpredictable New United States of America. Regardless, hopefully CD Projekt is able to make a bigger splash this time around.

Cyberpunk 2077 is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. The Phantom Liberty DLC is in development for 2023.

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