The Cyberpunk 2077 DLC Phantom Liberty is a must-have add-on for any fan of the game, but you might be struck by a question: Can you play Phantom Liberty with a Cyberpunk 2077 1.0 character? After all, the 2.0 update marked a huge turning point for the game thanks to massive overhauls, and it might not be viable to play the additional content with an older save. Fortunately, we have a hard answer for you.
Can You Play Phantom Liberty With an Old Cyberpunk 2077 Save? Answered
It is indeed possible to play Phantom Liberty with a character you created during the 1.0 versions of the game.
All you’ll need to do is load up your save of choice. The DLC-specific dialogue that kicks off the content will then trigger shortly after your character loads in no matter where they are. You can then dive right into the content, or continue on with whatever business you still need to finish before you jump headlong into the title’s take on espionage and spy hijinks.
Can You Play Phantom Liberty Without Updating to 2.0?
However, we need to make it clear that all of this only applies if you update Cyberpunk 2077 to its 2.0 state.
Phantom Liberty was developed in tandem with the sizable changes made through the 2.0 update. As a result, it requires characters and save files used to play it to utilize some of the new mechanics provided therein, such as the revamped Perk and Skill system or the redesigned Cyberware Capacity side of character development.
This can be a bit of a pain, as you’ll need to rework your build around the new Perks if you haven’t played the game since the latest updates. However, it’s far from game-breaking, and most any build can be translated over and recreated using the new systems. CD Projekt RED even has a handy Build Planner in case you’d like to take some time and plan out your new abilities instead of dumping points into them blindly.
Is a New Character Better Than a Cyberpunk 1.0 Character for Phantom Liberty? Explained
With all of this said, it’s possible you’re thinking it might be more viable to just make a whole new character for Phantom Liberty instead of using a Cyberpunk 1.0 character. And honestly, we can’t say that’s such a bad idea.
As mentioned above, the Cyberpunk 2.0 expansion offers a slew of new additions and improvements to the game. One of this biggest ones is the introduction of Shards, which can be looted from enemies and containers during missions in order to increase your Carrying Capacity, Cyberware Capacity, and Skill levels.
While these can still be obtained with a Cyberpunk 1.0 character, it won’t be possible to obtain any tied to Side Jobs, Gigs, and NCPD Active Crime jobs that were already completed before the update. this can result in your character missing out on substantial power-ups, and having a weaker character to get through the DLC with. It’s not impossible to clear Phantom Liberty without them though, so this shouldn’t be seen as a progression-breaking issue.
Keep these factors in mind, and you should be able to make an informed decision on whether or not to play Phantom Liberty with a Cyberpunk 2077 1.0 character. For more help and advice tied to the game, check out our related articles down below.
