Cyberpunk 2077’s sparse new DLC has players disappointed

By Otto Kratky Published August 19, 2021

Before it was released, CD Projekt Red promised that Cyberpunk 2077 would receive both paid and free DLC, much like The Witcher 3. Well, the day has finally come, and along with a massive 1.3 patch, players are also getting the first batch of free DLC. But even though it won’t cost players a single penny, it still appears to have left fans disappointed.

Cyberpunk 2077‘s first batch of DLC consists of three new items. The first is a new appearance for Johnny Silverhand that leaves him shirtless, wearing a jacket, and with his hair slicked to the side. The second is a two-parter, with two new jackets that players can get. The Multilayered Syn-Leather Deltajock Jacket and Luminescent Punk Jacket are added to the player’s stash after completing The Ride mission. While these jackets are of high quality, they won’t be very useful to players, since they lack any mod slots.

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The third and final part of Cyberpunk’s first free DLC is a new car that players can purchase depending on the choices they make during the Ghost Town mission.

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The final free DLC reveal today is an alternate look for Johnny

CDPR guy: "He looks like a poser"

lmao man pic.twitter.com/MspMtzWs2I

— Paul Tassi (@PaulTassi) August 17, 2021

While a developer at CD Projekt Red described this DLC pack as the “cherry on top” of Cyberpunk 2077‘s enormous 1.3 update, reactions to the cosmetics and car haven’t been positive. During most of the stream, which aired on CD Projekt Red’s Twitch channel, chatters were expressing either their disappointment or boredom. On Twitter, others criticized a CD Projekt Red developer for comparing developing a patch for a live game to “open-heart surgery.”

Even with a lackluster batch of free DLC, Cyberpunk 2077‘s 1.3 patch is a major one, with pages upon pages of bug fixes and performance improvements across all platforms. A full list of patch notes can be found on the game’s website.

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Otto Kratky is a freelance writer with many homes. You can find his work at Digital Trends, GameSpot, and Gamepur. If he's…

Gaming

Cyberpunk 2077: How to start Phantom Liberty DLC

A pyramid from Cyberpunk 2077.

The rehabilitation of Cyberpunk 2077 finally culminates in both the release of the 2.0 update and the substantial DLC expansion called Phantom Liberty. Between these two, plus all the changes made in the years since launch, the once unstable and buggy game is finally living up to its potential. While everything up until this point has been free, including the 2.0 changes, Phantom Liberty is the first and only piece of paid content. Giving players an entirely new area in Dogtown to explore, plus a lengthy main story and tons of new side missions, it's the biggest reason to reinstall this ambitious title. But how exactly can you start the DLC since it is meant to slot into the story of the main game rather than take place before or after? We've hacked in and downloaded all the data you need on how to start the Phantom Liberty DLC.
How to start Phantom Liberty
There are actually a few different ways to get into Phantom Liberty depending on your preference and whether or not you've played the base game. The easiest way to get directly into it is through the main menu. With the DLC installed, you will have an option to jump directly into the expansion, even if you haven't played the main game yet. This sounds great for those who want to see the new stuff right away, but it isn't recommended if you haven't played the base game at all. You will be given a character automatically leveled up and placed at the proper point in the story for the DLC to take place with no context or tutorial on how to play. Note that picking this option doesn't lock you out of any of the base game content.

For new players who want to experience Phantom Liberty more naturally, you will need to play the opening hours of Cyberpunk 2077 until you complete the "Transmission" mission before the quest that starts the DLC will trigger.

Computing

Cyberpunk 2077 might force you to upgrade your CPU

Cyberpunk 2077 running on the Samsung Odyssey OLED G8.

The highly anticipated expansion to Cyberpunk 2077 is just around the corner, and with the release of Phantom Liberty, many gamers might need to start thinking of upgrading their PCs. Now, CD Projekt Red has shed a little more light on the matter. It seems that some people might need to swap to one of the best CPUs, and even those already running modern hardware should still look into their cooling systems because Cyberpunk 2077 is just about to become a lot more CPU-intensive.

Filip Pierściński, who is a leading scene programmer at CD Projekt Red, shared an update regarding the game's CPU utilization going forward. Cyberpunk 2077 is famous for requiring one of the top GPUs, but it historically hasn't made the most out of the CPU. In fact, players had to rely on mods to boost CPU utilization, as the game itself wasn't able to effectively utilize Intel's hyper-threading (HT) and AMD's simultaneous multi-threading (SMT). The good news is that those mods can now be put to rest, but the bad news is that if your hardware is a little outdated, it might struggle to run Cyberpunk 2077 for a whole new reason now.

Computing

Cyberpunk 2077 just pulled the rug out from under low-end PCs

Judy leans over a table in Cyberpunk 2077.

Cyberpunk 2077 has always ranked high in the list of the most demanding games you could play on a PC. The upcoming Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty expansion was bound to push the limits even more.

However, now we know that it's not just the new release that's going to require more power from your PC. The base game is also receiving an update to the minimum system requirements, and by the looks of it, many people might need to upgrade their computers in order to play comfortably.