Yes, you can play Phantom Liberty after beating the game.
Curious about whether your Night City adventure can continue after the credits roll? Many players wonder, can you play Phantom Liberty after beating the game? It’s a valid question, given the expansion’s placement within the narrative.
Thankfully, Phantom Liberty is designed to be accessible both before and after completing the main Cyberpunk 2077 storyline. You have the freedom to dive into Dogtown at your own pace.
Can You Play Phantom Liberty After Beating the Game?
Alright, let’s talk about Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty and what happens after you’ve rolled credits on the main game. It’s a question many players have, especially after spending so much time in Night City. The short answer is: yes, you can absolutely play Phantom Liberty after finishing the main Cyberpunk 2077 story. But there’s a bit more to it than just a simple yes or no. Let’s get into the details.
Understanding the Timeline of Phantom Liberty
Phantom Liberty isn’t a separate game entirely; it’s an expansion. Think of it like adding a new wing to your house, rather than moving to a new one. This means its story is interwoven with the main game’s narrative. The expansion introduces you to Dogtown, a whole new district within Night City. However, you don’t get access to Dogtown right at the start of the game. You need to reach a certain point in the main story before Phantom Liberty becomes available. We’re talking about after you’ve completed the “Transmission” main quest. Once you do that, you’ll get a call from Songbird, and that will kick off the whole Phantom Liberty questline.
When Does Phantom Liberty Actually Start?
It’s important to know that even though you can play it after beating the game, Phantom Liberty does have a specific entry point during the main narrative. This point is crucial, because it sets the stage for the whole expansion’s storyline and characters. After the “Transmission” quest is finished, there are new things to do in Night City, and Dogtown opens up for you. Remember, it’s not an entirely separate mode you choose when you start the game, but rather an integrated part of your gameplay.
Starting Phantom Liberty After the Main Story Completion
Now, let’s address the core question: what happens if you’ve already finished Cyberpunk 2077’s main storyline? Well, thankfully, CD Projekt Red considered that. If you load up a save file where you’ve beaten the main game, you’ll find that the game doesn’t suddenly lock you out of Phantom Liberty. It presents you with an opportunity. Once you load your save, you’ll receive the call from Songbird, initiating the Phantom Liberty storyline, the exact same way as it would if you were playing through the game. It is designed to easily slip into your post-game free roam experience.
What Gets Carried Over
You might be wondering, what about all the work you did in the main game? The good news is, your character progress, your skills, your weapons, your cyberware – everything carries over into Phantom Liberty. This is a significant advantage because you won’t be starting the expansion from scratch. You’ll be going in with the powerful, seasoned V that you have grown to know and love. This means you can jump right into the new content without any need to grind or re-acquire skills or gear.
Benefits of Playing Post-Game Phantom Liberty
Starting Phantom Liberty after the main story has its advantages. You will have very powerful weapons and skills because of the progress you already did in main Cyberpunk 2077. Also, you may have some extra cash from the main game to spend for purchasing some new items in phantom liberty. You won’t have to worry about learning how to play the game, or doing some initial quests, you can directly jump into new stories and experience. Furthermore, the increased level, skills, and weapons can give you a slight edge in the beginning of Phantom Liberty, or sometimes more depending upon the skills and weapons you have.
Exploring the New Area with an Established V
One of the most exciting things about playing Phantom Liberty after completing the main story is the freedom to explore Dogtown with your already-established V. You will have all the skills, weapons, and upgrades that you worked hard to earn. You’re not a rookie fresh off the boat; you’re a seasoned Night City legend. This allows you to engage in all that Dogtown has to offer while feeling powerful and in control. Instead of needing to learn the ropes and find your way around, you’re ready to handle new challenges from the start.
Potential Challenges and Considerations
While playing Phantom Liberty post-game is very convenient, there are also some things to keep in mind. Since you are playing with an established V, the game can sometimes feel easy in the beginning. This is because you will be playing with better skills and weapons than what the game normally expects at the start of Phantom Liberty. However, the game will increase the difficulty accordingly, so eventually the game will become challenging as you progress in phantom liberty. Also, some of the early dialogue in the phantom liberty can feel a little out of sync if you’ve already completed the main story. That is because you’ve already made certain decisions in the main game, so you may feel like the dialogue isn’t as relevant. Overall it’s not a major deal, but it’s a minor detail to keep in mind.
Adjusting to the New Level Scaling
One of the main things to consider is the game’s level scaling. If you’ve maxed out your level in the base game, you may find that you’re much stronger than the enemies you first encounter in Dogtown. This is to ensure that players coming in at all different levels can experience the expansion. The enemies do scale up alongside you though, so the game will make the encounters challenging as you progress. The game’s goal is to make sure that you are constantly challenged, even if you start the Phantom Liberty with a really powerful V.
Making the Most of Your Post-Game Phantom Liberty Experience
So, you’re ready to dive into Phantom Liberty after completing the main story. Here are some tips to make the most of it:
- Take your time exploring Dogtown: It’s a whole new area of Night City, and there are lots of things to explore, side quests to complete, and items to find. Don’t just rush through the story; take some time to check out everything Dogtown has to offer.
- Experiment with new builds: Phantom Liberty introduces new skills and cyberware. Even if you have your favorite build, consider trying something new and see what is possible. You might find an entirely new way to play the game that you really like.
- Engage with the story: Phantom Liberty features a very intriguing narrative with new characters, and there are many interesting quests to experience. Don’t just focus on combat and upgrades, make sure you explore the characters’ stories, because this is a major reason that this DLC is praised so much.
- Take advantage of your skills: You’re starting with a very established character. So make sure you take advantage of all the skills, weapons, and tools you have. Don’t play it safe. Push your abilities, try out different play styles, and see what your V can really do.
Revisiting Night City
While Phantom Liberty focuses primarily on Dogtown, don’t forget that the rest of Night City is still there to explore. If you want to take a break from the new expansion, you can go back to the familiar locations that you previously visited in the base game. You can go back to your favorite gigs, complete any remaining side quests, or just explore the world and see if you find something new. The open world is vast and there is lots to do even if you have finished the main story and started the Phantom Liberty.
What if You Haven’t Finished the Main Game Yet?
If you haven’t finished the main game of Cyberpunk 2077, you can still play Phantom Liberty. You will not be forced to finish the main game first. Remember, the quest to start the Phantom Liberty expansion appears after the “Transmission” quest. If you’re already past that point, you’ll get the call from Songbird and the expansion’s questline will begin. If you haven’t reached that point, you’ll need to progress the story until you do. The game tries to make sure you have enough skills and tools so that you can play the phantom liberty without any issues.
Balancing Main Quests and Expansion Content
Many players want to play through both the main story and the Phantom Liberty simultaneously. That is totally doable. However, when you get the call from Songbird and choose to start the expansion’s storyline, it can sometimes be hard to go back to the main game, depending on the choices you’ve made. So, it can be a little tricky to balance the main story with the new content. You have to make your own decision, it is totally up to you. You have the freedom to play it however you want, but that’s just a minor thing you have to keep in mind.
Key Takeaways
To sum it up, here are the most important points to remember about playing Phantom Liberty after beating Cyberpunk 2077:
- Yes, you can play Phantom Liberty after beating the main game. Your character and progress get carried over, so you can jump right into it.
- You need to complete the “Transmission” main quest. This is the point where the Phantom Liberty questline begins, even if you are playing after the main story.
- You can explore Dogtown with your established V. Your skills, weapons, and gear will carry over from your main save.
- There are challenges but also benefits to playing post-game. You will be a very powerful character from the beginning, but the enemies and challenges will scale up accordingly.
- Take your time exploring all that the DLC has to offer. There is so much to do and see, so don’t rush through it.
In conclusion, playing Phantom Liberty after finishing the main Cyberpunk 2077 story is a totally viable option. It allows you to explore the new Dogtown district, interact with its new characters, and experience an exciting new story while enjoying all the progress and powers that you worked so hard to achieve. Whether you choose to start the DLC while you’re still playing the main story or afterward, the game will make sure you have a very fun and engaging experience.
Can you play Phantom Liberty after beating the game?
Final Thoughts
Yes, you can play Phantom Liberty after beating the main Cyberpunk 2077 story. The expansion’s content becomes available during a specific point in the base game’s narrative, which means that you must have progressed sufficiently to trigger it.
This allows you to jump into Phantom Liberty’s story even if you have already finished the core game. The expansion offers a new experience within the world of Night City, adding considerable playtime and new characters.
So, to answer the question directly, yes, ‘can you play phantom liberty after beating the game’. You can access this thrilling new story no matter your previous game progress, making it a worthwhile experience.



