Do You Need to Play Cyberpunk 2077 Before Phantom Liberty?

No, you do not need to play the base Cyberpunk 2077 before starting Phantom Liberty, but doing so significantly enriches the experience. Phantom Liberty is a spy-thriller expansion that introduces a new district, a new storyline, and new characters, and it can be accessed directly from the main menu via a “New Game” option that lets you jump straight into the expansion content. However, the expansion assumes you are familiar with the game’s world, mechanics, and the protagonist V’s background, so playing the base game first is strongly recommended for context and emotional investment.

What Phantom Liberty Adds

Phantom Liberty is the only major story expansion for Cyberpunk 2077, released on September 26, 2023. It adds the new Dogtown district, a walled-off area of Night City controlled by a rogue military leader, and a new questline centered on a downed orbital shuttle and a mysterious netrunner named Songbird. The expansion also introduces a new ending for the base game, new weapons, cyberware, vehicles, and a new skill tree. It is designed for characters around level 15-20, but the game provides a pre-built level 15 character if you choose the “Jump in” option.

How the “Jump In” Option Works

When you start a new game, you are offered two paths: “New Game” and “New Game Plus” (though the latter is not available in this title). The “Jump in” option is presented at the character creation screen, allowing you to skip the base game’s main story and start directly with Phantom Liberty. This option gives you a character with a set build, all the essential cyberware, and a few items, but it locks you out of the base game’s main questline until you finish the expansion. You can still explore Dogtown and the rest of Night City, but the main story missions from the base game are not available until you complete the expansion’s story.

Pros and Cons of Starting with Phantom Liberty

Starting with the expansion has its advantages and disadvantages, and the choice depends on your playstyle and priorities.

Pros: Immediate access to new content, a fresh storyline, and the new Dogtown district. You also get a ready-made character, saving time on leveling and build planning.
Cons: You miss the base game’s main story, which is a massive narrative experience. You also lack the emotional connection to V and the world that comes from playing the original campaign. The expansion’s story references events and characters from the base game, so you may feel lost or less invested.
Neutral: The expansion’s difficulty scales to your level, so starting fresh is viable, but you may find combat challenging without the perks and gear you would normally have by that point.

What the Developers Recommend

CD Projekt Red, the developer, has explicitly stated that Phantom Liberty is designed for players who have completed the base game’s main story. In a developer blog post, they noted that the expansion is “a self-contained story” but that it “assumes you have finished the main game.” They also mentioned that the “Jump in” option is for players who want to experience the expansion immediately, but they recommend playing the base game first for the full narrative arc. The expansion’s story is set after the events of the main game’s final act, so playing the base game gives you the necessary context for the political and personal stakes.

How to Choose the Best Path for You

Your decision should be based on your goals and time investment.

If you are new to Cyberpunk 2077 and have the time, play the base game first. It takes roughly 25-30 hours for the main story, and it sets up the world, characters, and V’s relationships. Then play Phantom Liberty as a continuation.
If you have already played the base game and are returning for the expansion, simply load your old save file. The expansion scales to your level, so any character works, but a level 20+ character is ideal.
If you are short on time and only want to experience the expansion’s story, use the “Jump in” option. You will miss context, but you can still enjoy the new content.
If you are a completionist, play the base game and the expansion in order, as this is the only way to unlock all endings and see the full narrative.

Common Misconceptions About Phantom Liberty

One common misconception is that Phantom Liberty is a standalone game. It is not; it requires the base Cyberpunk 2077 to play. Another is that the expansion is a post-game epilogue. In reality, its story runs parallel to the main game’s final act, and you can play it before or after the main story, but the narrative flow is best experienced after. Also, some players think the “Jump in” option gives you a max-level character, but it actually gives you a level 15 character, which is the minimum recommended level for the expansion. Finally, the expansion does not add a new game plus mode; it simply adds new content to the existing game.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I play Phantom Liberty without finishing the base game’s main story?

Yes, you can. The “Jump in” option lets you start the expansion with a pre-built level 15 character, skipping the base game’s main questline. However, you will miss the context of the original story, and you cannot access the base game’s main missions until you finish the expansion.

Will I miss important story details if I skip the base game?

Yes, you will miss the entire base game’s narrative, including V’s personal journey, relationships with characters like Jackie, Judy, and Panam, and the events that lead to the expansion’s plot. The expansion references these events, so you may feel less connected to the story.

Does Phantom Liberty add a new ending to the base game?

Yes, it adds a new ending that becomes available after completing the expansion’s main story. This ending is considered by many to be a more definitive conclusion to V’s story, and it requires playing the expansion to unlock.

What level should I be for Phantom Liberty?

The recommended level is around 15-20. If you use the “Jump in” option, you get a level 15 character. If you play the base game first, you will likely be level 20-30 by the time you finish, which is more than sufficient.

Is Phantom Liberty worth playing if I didn’t like the base game?

It depends on why you didn’t like the base game. Phantom Liberty is a more focused, spy-thriller story with a different tone, and it improves on some mechanics. If you disliked the open-world structure or the main story, the expansion might not change your mind. But if you enjoyed the combat and the world, it is a solid addition.

Can I play Phantom Liberty on last-gen consoles?

No, Phantom Liberty is only available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. It is not available on PlayStation 4 or Xbox One, as the expansion requires the more powerful hardware of current-gen systems.

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