Cyberpunk 2077 has captivatingly breathed new life into its base game via post-launch updates that are only becoming more tantalizing as they go on. Indeed, with CD Projekt Red revealing more about The Witcher 4 and a Cyberpunk 2077 sequel in development, regardless of how far away either game realistically is at their respective stages, it’s fantastic that Cyberpunk 2077 is still being treated to patches that add polish and quality-of-life features, transforming a game that was once highly maligned into a glimmering gem that is fascinating to return to with each new update.
For instance, there was an enormous amount of excitement in anticipation of Cyberpunk 2077 Update 2.3 when nothing had been disclosed about what it might entail. 2.3 turned out to be a content update focused wholly on vehicles in Cyberpunk 2077, including the official debut of the AutoDrive feature, but that doesn’t mean future, subsequent updates—if there will be more updates, anyway—couldn’t have wider scopes in mind. Especially if the sequel is packing its bags and moving away, Cyberpunk 2077 has more than enough reason to refurbish Night City and make it the most complete open world it can be in 2.4 or beyond.
Cyberpunk 2077’s 2.3 Update Practically Guarantees Three Things for the Sequel
Cyberpunk 2077's sequel is far off in the distance, but the recent 2.3 update essentially offers a sneak peek at potential features.
Cyberpunk 2’s New Setting is Bound to Eclipse Night City
According to Cyberpunk creator Mike Pondsmith, Cyberpunk 2 will allegedly feature Night City as well as a new dystopian city, described as “Chicago gone wrong.” If legitimate, it’s immediately difficult to imagine this brand-new setting not inherently becoming the more interesting location to explore, if for no other reason than it being unfamiliar.
It’s terrific that Cyberpunk 2 might not be abandoning Night City wholesale after it’s been so influential in establishing Cyberpunk 2077’s worldbuilding, but players have inhabited it for hundreds of hours and may know its nooks and crannies intimately already.
It’s equally challenging to picture how a sequel could extrapolate on Night City further without having to recycle the same gangland neighborhoods and old haunts. Nonetheless, a new city, particularly one that could be even more vile or nefarious than Night City, would obviously capture players’ attention and probably be where they’d like to spend their time, not unlike how Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty’s Dogtown sub-district was refreshingly alluring and enigmatic when the DLC was released.
Cyberpunk 2077 2.4 Needs to See the Bigger Picture
If CD Projekt Red intends to introduce new cities or locations in Cyberpunk 2, as it well should, then 2077 might be the lone installment that truly shines a blinding spotlight on the charm and horror of Night City. So, as Cyberpunk 2 creates another character out of an environment that can identify the sequel uniquely, Night City deserves to receive as much love as possible in Cyberpunk 2077 via future updates.
As of this writing, CD Projekt Red has not confirmed an Update 2.4 for Cyberpunk 2077.
Assuming that a Cyberpunk 2077 Update 2.4 is actually a realistic expectation following 2.3, it appears likely that the developer may be choosing concentrated pockets of the game to work on and flesh out. Night City being given its own dedicated update, then, could be phenomenal if it litters the open world with more Gigs, interactive markets and NPCs, and so forth.
For example, Night City residents have been desperate for Cyberpunk 2077’s romantic relationships to have a longer throughline with dates and other encounters in the city. CD Projekt Red wouldn’t necessarily need to produce new areas, but Night City is easily one of Cyberpunk 2077’s greatest characters and, if it isn’t going to be the star any longer in a sequel, Cyberpunk 2077 has an obligation to remind players of how special it is.
Cyberpunk 2077
-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 76 /100 Critics Rec: 66%
- Released
- December 10, 2020
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- CD Projekt Red
- Publisher(s)
- CD Projekt Red
WHERE TO PLAY
- Engine
- REDengine 4
- Cross-Platform Play
- ps, xbox, pc
- Cross Save
- yes
- Expansions
- Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
- Franchise
- Cyberpunk
- Number of Players
- Single-player
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- yes
- PC Release Date
- December 10, 2020
- Xbox Series X|S Release Date
- February 15, 2022
- PS5 Release Date
- February 15, 2022
- Nintendo Switch 2 Release Date
- June 5, 2025
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
- How Long To Beat
- 25 Hours
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
- PS Plus Availability
- Extra & Premium
