Cyberpunk 2077: The Five Year Interview – Journey to 2.0, Phantom Liberty, Favourite Ending, and More

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When Cyberpunk 2077 launched in 2020, it was plagued with problems. Despite the initial criticism, the developers at CD Projekt RED worked hard to fix and improve the game, addressing issues with performance and gameplay. The release of the Phantom Liberty expansion, alongside the major 2.0 update, ultimately transformed Cyberpunk 2077 into a beloved game. Paweł Sasko, a lead quest designer on Cyberpunk 2077 and associate game director for its sequel, recently shared his thoughts on this challenging development process, the game’s story, and some of his favourite side missions.

Wow, it’s hard to believe it’s been five years since Cyberpunk 2077 came out! Thinking back on the launch, it’s a real mix of feelings. There were some incredible moments and a lot of hype, but honestly, there are definitely things I wish the team had done differently. It’s been a wild ride, and I’m curious to hear what the developers think looking back now – what are they most proud of, and what do they regret?

What really strikes me is the difference between what we hoped to achieve with Cyberpunk 2077 and how the launch actually went. Players quickly fell in love with the game’s world, characters, and overall ambition, but we didn’t quite deliver on that promise at first. However, I’m incredibly proud of how the team bounced back and worked hard to improve things. The story of Cyberpunk 2077 isn’t just about the rocky start; it’s about everything we accomplished afterward.

The story of Cyberpunk 2077 isn’t limited to its initial release; it also encompasses everything that happened afterward.

The game has evolved significantly since its initial release. Looking back at its development from version 1.0 to the present, what were the most important things CD Projekt Red learned in terms of creative design, technical execution, and how they organized their work?

We discovered how crucial focus and discipline are during the creative process. A good example is Cyberpunk 2077; the game works best when all its parts – gameplay, story, and overall themes – support each other instead of clashing. We intentionally included moments where the gameplay didn’t quite match the story, like the main character, V, getting weaker physically while simultaneously becoming more powerful through gameplay progression. This was meant to emphasize the character’s deteriorating health and the feeling of impending doom. While we used this tension effectively, we realize we could have built upon it earlier in the game’s development.

We realized how important it is to build a solid and adaptable base for our game. A lot of the recent improvements wouldn’t have been possible without completely overhauling some of the core systems – sometimes a fresh start is the only way to truly fix things. It’s important to be ambitious, but also realistic about what’s technically possible. We’ve learned to embrace limitations and use them to inspire clever design solutions.

The biggest takeaway for our team was getting everyone on the same page. Having clear roles, improved communication between teams, and more achievable plans significantly improved our work, and you can see the results in the Phantom Liberty expansion. Creating Cyberpunk really pushed us to mature as a studio. We’ve overhauled most of our workflows and developed a continuous process of improvement and refinement.

The improvements players are enjoying now happened because we rebuilt fundamental parts of the game, rather than just adding temporary solutions.

Just how long ago did the team start planning Phantom Liberty? Was it always intended to be a big new story within Night City, or were there discussions about taking players outside the city for this expansion?

The idea for Phantom Liberty came about fairly early in development, but the story changed a lot as we worked on it. We knew there were still many interesting stories to tell in Night City, particularly those focused on spies, political power, and control. Creating Dogtown let us showcase a new side of the city – one that felt recognizable, yet also risky and full of surprises.

We design our expansions to seamlessly integrate with the original game. The idea is that even years later, players should feel like everything – both the base game and the expansions – was always meant to be together, without being able to easily tell what was added later.

We wanted Phantom Liberty’s story to feel deeply connected to the main game’s ending and the choices players make as V. What message did we hope to convey about V’s journey with these new options and outcomes?

Cyberpunk 2077 is a role-playing game centered around the impact of your decisions. With the Phantom Liberty expansion, we aimed to create a story deeply woven into the main game, directly influencing V’s journey and motivations. We wanted your choices to truly matter, especially concerning V’s fate. By tying the expansion to the game’s ending, we could explore difficult themes of survival, sacrifice, and free will. While not every decision will result in a positive outcome, each one reveals more about V’s character and what they value.

We wanted Phantom Liberty to feel fully integrated into the core story, not like a separate add-on. It was designed to directly tie into what drives the main character.

Our game explores themes of serious illness and the desire for lasting impact, contrasted with the reality of mortality. Adding new content as a side story within the main narrative wouldn’t have made sense, given the game’s core message. With The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, we could continue Geralt’s journey with Blood and Wine after the main story concluded. However, Cyberpunk 2077’s story demanded that any expansion feel like a true continuation, making a post-main-story addition the only logical choice.

Do you have a favorite ending? Which one feels the most satisfying in terms of the story it tells, the emotional impact it has, and how the characters develop, and what makes it stand out to you?

It’s hard to say what the best ending is, but I really connect with the more subtle ones – those where it’s not completely clear if anyone truly wins, and where the characters clearly suffer along the way. Cyberpunk isn’t about heroic world-saving; it’s about simply getting through life, even if it means giving up on what you hoped for. Endings that acknowledge that struggle feel the most genuine.

A key element of the game involves complex characters and subtle nuances that make players think about the choices they make. Johnny Silverhand is deliberately presented as a difficult character – troubled and volatile, even willing to harm V to cope with his own pain. As the game progresses, players’ feelings about him evolve. It’s deeply affecting when he dies, and many find it powerful when players sacrifice V’s body so Johnny can live on. This character development requires empathy, which is a wonderful thing about people. Even though their relationship starts off rocky, compassion ultimately drives some players’ choices.

It’s really sad to see him leave, and I’m touched by the selflessness of those who choose to sacrifice V’s body so Johnny can continue to exist.

What are some of your favorite side quests in both the main Cyberpunk game and the Phantom Liberty expansion? Which quests do you think really showcase the best aspects of what makes Cyberpunk special?

Our games blend many different genres and ideas. This mix, combined with the unique vision of our creators who share a common purpose, results in carefully crafted quests. For example, quests like “Sinnerman” and “Dream On” showcase the best of Cyberpunk: they’re thought-provoking, explore complex themes, and feel deeply personal. From the emotional story of Judy and Evelyn to the more outlandish characters like Flaming Crotch Man, and the tales of Skippy and the talking vending machine, everything comes together to create a unique atmosphere of noir, tragedy, comedy, and satire, all set within the vibrant world of Night City.

I’m particularly proud of how the side quests in Phantom Liberty fit naturally into the main story. Many of them don’t feel like major events at first, but they stay with players long after completion. The story takes V on a thrilling ride, drawing inspiration from various sources like spy films (Bridge of Spies, Ocean’s Eleven, James Bond), action movies, documentaries, romances, and even horror games like Alien: Isolation. Despite all these influences, everything is tied together by a strong, central storyline. Phantom Liberty really showcased our ability to focus on a theme – proving how much variety you can find within the world of espionage.

Thank you for your time. Before we wrap up, would you like to share a message with the Cyberpunk 2077 community and fans who have supported the game throughout the years?

Thanks so much, everyone! We truly appreciate your patience, feedback, creativity – everything from your mods and fan art to the videos and discussions you shared. Your passion helped us make Cyberpunk 2077 the game it is today, and we’re so grateful for your trust and for sticking with us in Night City. We couldn’t have done it without you.

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2026-01-19 16:14