Ready for Dogtown's spy thriller? Good. This guide explains how to start Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, whether you're new to Night City or a hardened legend. We'll cover everything from jumping straight into the action to weaving the expansion naturally into your current playthrough.
This is another key part of my Cyberpunk 2077 collection, designed to help you figure things out without the padding. I'll break down every way to start the new storyline, what you need beforehand and the best time to answer that fateful call.
First things first: Phantom Liberty requirements
Before setting foot in Dogtown, make sure your hardware and game are ready. This is a substantial expansion with some mandatory requirements.
- You need the base game, Cyberpunk 2077. Obvious, I know, but worth mentioning.
- You must own Phantom Liberty itself. It's a separate purchase.
- The free Update 2.0 is required. It overhauled numerous core systems, and the DLC builds on them.
- Platform check: Phantom Liberty is only available on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. If you're still on PS4 or Xbox One, you're out of luck this time.
How to start Phantom Liberty: your options
With the boring part covered, let's get to the good stuff. CD Projekt RED gave us several ways to start the expansion, which is welcome.
Method 1: skip straight to Phantom Liberty
Can't wait? You just want to see what all the fuss is about? It's for you.
- In the main menu, click "New Game".
- Select the “Skip Ahead to Phantom Liberty” option.
- Go through normal character creation: appearance, lifepath and the rest.
You'll start at level 15 with a preset build, decent equipment, cyberware and 20,000 eddies. The game immediately starts the expansion's first mission, Dog Eat Dog, with V relaxing and reading a book before Songbird gets in touch.
It's the fastest route to the action, but you miss all the main story's buildup. A good choice for a second playthrough, or if the original story simply doesn't interest you anymore.
If Dogtown's crowded streets bring frame-rate drops, my Cyberpunk 2077 performance guide will help you adjust settings for that smooth 100 FPS gameplay.
Cyberpunk 2077 performance guide
Method 2: progress through the story
This is the path I would recommend to any newcomer. It just makes sense. To start DLC organically, you need to advance through the core Cyberpunk 2077 campaign.
You need to finish the main job Transmission. It's the final mission in the Pacifica Voodoo Boys questline, involving Maman Brigitte and all that netrunner business.
After finishing Transmission, go about your business. A mysterious netrunner named Songbird will call fairly soon. She'll start you on Dog Eat Dog, and your espionage adventure begins.
If V is struggling to look their best while facing Dogtown's dangers, my selection of the best clothing mods has a few tips for staying stylish.
The best clothing mods for Cyberpunk 2077
Method 3: the returning veteran with an existing save
Do you have a V that you've spent dozens of hours with? Great.
- If you've finished the game, load a save immediately before the point-of-no-return mission, Nocturne OP55N1. Songbird should call within a few minutes of loading. You can then play the DLC while retaining access to your endgame rewards.
- If your save is already past Transmission, the same applies. Load it, and Songbird will get in touch soon.
- If your save is before Transmission, you know what to do. Get to work, choom! Follow the main story until you complete it.
The first mission: Dog Eat Dog
However you start, Dog Eat Dog is your entry point into Phantom Liberty. Once Songbird calls, sounding like her world is falling apart, here's what happens next:
- The quest starts when you accept Songbird's desperate request for help.
- She asks you to meet her at the main entrance to Dogtown, a walled-off area in southern Pacifica.
- The gate is completely blocked when you arrive. Don't bother forcing your way through. Songbird contacts you again and points out a back entrance.
- Follow her directions through a loosely guarded yard and then down into a rather eerie underground garage system.
- You'll eventually emerge inside EBM Petrochem Stadium, now a huge black market. The place's sheer scale is something else, and a great introduction to Dogtown's atmosphere.
- Once you've made your way through the market, you'll reach the construction site just in time to see President Myers' shuttle.
- Around this point, you unlock the Relic perk tree, a new set of DLC-exclusive abilities you'll be using a lot.
For rock fans: yes, Dog Eat Dog directly references AC/DC's classic 1977 track. It's also an idiom describing ruthless competition, where everyone looks out for themselves.
When should you actually start the DLC?
You can start the DLC as soon as you finish Transmission in Act 2. But should you?
In my opinion, the story hits harder if you wait a little. I'd suggest following the main story until you reach the point-of-no-return mission, Nocturne OP55N1. That means completing the main quests involving Arasaka and Johnny's past. Phantom Liberty's events carry more weight then, because V is more desperate and has explored almost every other option.
That means completing Act 1 and the following Act 2 missions:
- Playing for Time
- Automatic Love
- Ghost Town
- Down on the Street
- Play It Safe
- Gimme Danger
- Search and Destroy
- Tapeworm
Of course, it's just a recommendation. The DLC is designed to be played whenever you want, and it fits into the main story pretty well anyway.
You can start DLC earlier to get all those new iconic cyberware and guns, and make your gameplay in the main story even more interesting.
The expansion introduces new character dynamics. If you're still exploring base-game relationships, such as figuring out how to romance Judy as male V, you can find some… interesting solutions in my dedicated guide.
Pick your moment and get into the DLC
Gear up, answer Songbird's call and see whether you have what it takes to survive Dogtown. Just remember: in this world, trust is a currency you can't afford to throw around…
Answers to your questions
Should I start Phantom Liberty early or wait?
Wait until you're further into the main story. Enemies scale to your level, so being underpowered isn't the issue. The real reason is the story: it simply hits harder when V is more desperate.
Are there any new endings?
Yes. Phantom Liberty adds entirely new endings to V's story, including one that ends the game after the expansion. Your choices during the DLC determine which new outcomes you can access, if any.
Can I start the DLC after finishing the main game?
Loading a save after completing the final mission puts you back in Night City before the point of no return. From there, Songbird calls, and you can start Dog Eat Dog whenever you're ready.
