CD Projekt Red's memorable RPG Cyberpunk 2077 certainly kept players talking when it was first released in 2020, and for many months afterward. It's fair to say that Cyberpunk 2077 didn't have the smoothest of starts, but over the years since it was first launched the game has changed in significant ways to become something much more cohesive, playable, and enjoyable. Fans were a little disappointed to hear that even after the numerous patches, fixes, and updates, Cyberpunk 2077 would only be getting one major expansion, but that doesn't mean players aren't hyped for the upcoming release of the Phantom Liberty DLC.
As CD Projekt Red's version of a spy thriller within the Cyberpunk 2077 universe, Phantom Liberty is going to be exploring a new storyline in a brand-new location, as well as adding some interesting features to the base game. According to the developer, V will be able to utilize a slew of new skills as they undertake an "impossible mission of espionage and survival" as they navigate a complex web of political alliances and betrayals. One of the more anticipated aspects of the Phantom Liberty DLC are the new characters that the expansion will introduce, but there's still space for returning faces like the intriguing corpo Militech stooge Meredith Stout.
Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty's Characters
There's a lot of pressure on Phantom Liberty to deliver a really fun, substantive experience that meets the expectations of fans as well, not only because it will be Cyberpunk 2077's one and only major expansion, but also because for many the original game started as such a letdown. While there are many aspects that players will have on their wishlist for Cyberpunk 2077 DLC, new characters are certainly among them. Phantom Liberty had a strong opening straight out the gate after its first trailer revealed the character of Solomon Reed, an FIA Agent for the New United States of America who will be voiced by and was modeled after Idris Elba.
Other returning characters include Cyberpunk 2077's infamous Johnny Silverhand, but some gamers will be hoping for some other familiar faces to feature alongside new and confirmed ones. This would make sense for some of the romances to include previous characters in Phantom Liberty, but it could also tie in well with the new storyline being introduced in the DLC as well. Meredith Stout was an intriguing character in the base game, but she could make a return in Phantom Liberty thanks to her Militech position and that group's close ties to NUSA.
The Case For Meredith's Return In The Phantom Liberty DLC
Players may only interact with Meredith briefly in the base game, but they can also pursue a steamy (if short-lived) romance with her as well. Having Meredith make a return in Phantom Liberty could present an opportunity to reignite this romance, which always felt like one of the more unexpected relationships that gamers could choose to initiate out of the limited selection. V's life as a mercenary and Meredith's role in Cyberpunk 2077 as someone imbedded deep within corpo culture was a great contrast and interesting fodder for storytelling, but it was never fully explored. Phantom Liberty could pick up where Cyberpunk 2077 left off, especially given Meredith's role in political aspects.
Phantom Liberty is going to explore the nuanced political situation of Night City within its new campaign, and this leaves the door open for Meredith's return. Meredith is a senior operations manager for Cyberpunk 2077's Militech – an organization that is a prominent weapons supplier for the NUSA military and police forces – so she would already have ties to NUSA and potentially Solomon Reed's character. However, if V chooses to side with Meredith during The Pickup quest, Meredtih later appears on N54 News as Militech's Government Relations Executive, showing an even more prominent role that could be exploited in the upcoming DLC. The full scope of Phantom Liberty's story hasn't been revealed yet, but fans won't have long to wait until they can see it all play out for themselves.
Cyberpunk 2077 is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
