More details regarding Cyberpunk 2077'sPhantom Liberty expansion were recently released. As the only major expansion for the game, it is no wonder that fans have been curious to see what kind of experience the DLC will provide, and a release date being attached means that CD Projekt Red is confident in the content. Still, it needs to be careful.
While many were pleasantly surprised at what is next for Cyberpunk 2077, the launch of Phantom Liberty cannot afford the same hiccups as the base game. It is true that Cyberpunk 2077 is in a much better state than it was at launch, yet Phantom Liberty could extend the longstanding criticisms of the title if it has a similar state of release.
Cyberpunk 2077's Launch and Post-launch Stability
The 2020 launch of Cyberpunk 2077 is widely considered to be one of the most infamous and problematic in the gaming industry. Originally being revealed in 2012, the game had amassed an eager community who were promised the ultimate cyberpunk open-world experience.
The launch of Cyberpunk 2077 was inundated with glitches and confusing gameplay, seriously damaging the initial reputation of the release. With such a negative response, Cyberpunk's launch sparked a wider dialogue about game's being released too early and under-delivering promised experiences to fans.
Over the following years, CD Projekt Red has done well to redeem Cyberpunk 2077 and make it more reflective of its original intentions. Over the course of numerous post-launch patches, the game is now in a fairly polished state that fosters clean and enjoyable gameplay. With this in mind, fans are clearly excited to experience the upcoming Phantom Liberty. The expansion could finally give fans the stable Cyberpunk launch feeling that they desired in 2020, and so it is imperative that CD Projekt Red is confident in its release plans for the DLC.
The Stakes of Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
As the only expansion that is set to come to Cyberpunk 2077, Phantom Liberty is smartly ambitious. A core narrative expansion, Phantom Liberty will introduce new characters such as Idris Elba's Solomon Reed, as well as the return of those such as Keanu Reeves' Johnny Silverhand.
Befit with all-new locations, factions, and even a new ending for Cyberpunk 2077's base-game, Phantom Liberty is set to be a significant overhaul of Cyberpunk 2077. CD Projekt Red has slated Phantom Liberty to release on September 26, showing a confident approach as to when the expansion can be expected.
However, Cyberpunk 2077 was delayed a total of three times prior to its disastrous launch. With so many delays still leading to a sub-par state of release, CD Projekt Red needs to be absolutely sure that Phantom Liberty is ready to ship in September. Should the expansion be delayed, Projekt Red will be accused of not learning from its mistakes, yet a buggy September release will leave fans equally baffled.
Fans are perhaps right in any skepticism they may have over how Phantom Liberty will launch, and it could be a make-or-break moment for CD Projekt Red's trust with its consumer base. Of course, Phantom Liberty has the benefit of building off of the vast improvements that have been made to Cyberpunk 2077 post-launch, and this should factor into a much smoother release for the expansion.
It remains to be seen how Phantom Liberty will launch, yet it is clear that CD Projekt Red is initially confident in the major expansion. Despite this, the scale of the DLC and the pre-existing reputation for the base-game means that there is absolutely no margin for error.
Cyberpunk 2077 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
