How Cyberpunk 2077 is Hitting the Reset Button with its…

Summary

Cyberpunk 2077's initial release was marred by bugs and cut content, disappointing gamers who had high expectations for the game. However, the upcoming Phantom Liberty DLC could potentially change the game's narrative and redeem its reputation.
Phantom Liberty is not only introducing a new storyline and region to Cyberpunk 2077 but also launching alongside a major update that will rework gameplay mechanics and improve overall quality. This combination of new content and improvements could make the game feel like an entirely new experience.
CD Projekt Red must ensure that Phantom Liberty lives up to expectations, as it is the only DLC planned for Cyberpunk 2077. The success of this DLC is crucial for rebuilding trust with the gaming audience and could potentially give the game a fresh start if it exceeds expectations.

It may be an understatement to say that Cyberpunk 2077 didn't get off to the best start. At launch, the highly anticipated RPG from the minds behind the best-selling The Witcher series was crawling with game-breaking bugs and suffered from quality-of-life issues and cut content. As more information about Cyberpunk 2077's Phantom Liberty DLC 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 2077 was 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 that Cyberpunk 2077 was 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 2077 has had a redemption arc, and it looks like its story is being rewritten. With all the changes coming through the Phantom Liberty DLC, CD Projekt Red could shift the narrative of Cyberpunk 2077 even further.

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 that Cyberpunk 2077 is 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, and Phantom Liberty is its first major expansion.

Phantom Liberty will be adding an entirely new storyline and region to Cyberpunk 2077, which will greatly alter the game. However, the DLC will be launching alongside a massive update to the Cyberpunk 2077 base game, which is set to rework things like AI and skill trees. The addition of new Cyberpunk 2077 side content, major areas to explore, gameplay changes, and quality-of-life improvements could mean that Cyberpunk 2077 becomes almost an entirely new game this September.

Moreover, the hype behind Phantom Liberty mirrors 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 Liberty will be the only DLC for Cyberpunk 2077, and CD Projekt Red set the bar high with the DLCs for The Witcher 3, so there is an expectation that Phantom Liberty be expansive and filled with high-quality content. If the expectations of Phantom Liberty are 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 for Phantom Liberty to repeat the failures of Cyberpunk 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 if Phantom Liberty doesn't succeed. Gaming audiences look more favorably on Cyberpunk 2077 now, but nothing can match the impact that an instant, day-one success can have. Cyberpunk 2077 missed its opportunity for instant positive reception, but Phantom Liberty still has a chance for it, and sticking the landing could mean that the game can reap the benefits of a completely fresh start.