Cyberpunk 2077 update 2.0 is out now ahead of the release of the Phantom Liberty DLC. The update adds a lot of new content and overhauls the game. When you start a new game, you get the option to start the story from the beginning or skip ahead to Phantom Liberty. In this Cyberpunk 2077 guide, we go over whether or not you should start a new playthrough after update 2.0 for Phantom Liberty.
Note: I have tried my best not to include any story spoilers for Phantom Liberty.
Should You Start A New Playthrough After Cyberpunk 2077 Update 2.0?
The Regular Start option, as the name implies, will have you start the game all over again from the very start of the story. If you pick the option to skip ahead to Phantom Liberty, you will progress forward to about halfway through the main storyline and right before the events or content of Phantom Liberty. So, which option should you pick?
If you go with the option to skip ahead to Phantom Liberty, you will have a higher level, higher street cred, better gear, and weapons. The starting gear, including the cyber implants, is stronger than what you normally get the the same level. While you do get some vehicles, you will need to complete gigs and other activities again if you want their specific rewards.
CDPR recommends starting the game from the beginning, and I recommend the same. You have five days until the release of the expansion, and the update goes live close to the weekend, giving you enough time to complete the story and some of the side content. Starting the game from the beginning will allow you to pursue relationships, endings of your choice, gear, and much more until the release of the Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty DLC.
It is worth mentioning that Phantom Liberty does unlock a new ending for the main storyline so we recommend completing the main storyline until you need to meet with Hanako at Embers.
Starting the game from the beginning will give you access to cool new stuff, such as the new skill tree, and you will be able to take full advantage of all the changes to the weapons, items, and cyber mods. Phantom Liberty raises the level cap from 50 to 60. So, if you reach level 50 before starting the DLC, then it will feel like continuous progression.
We also recommend completing the romances in the game before starting off Phantom Liberty since there are some extra moments in the DLC that you will enjoy with these characters. I am not going to go over them here since they are spoilers, and I want you to experience the DLC properly.
Requirements For Phantom Liberty DLC
If you are starting from the beginning and want to gain access to Phantom Liberty, you will need to progress the storyline until Act 2, where you encounter the Voodoo Boys. This is roughly the middle of the game. Since the main storyline is pretty short, you should not take too long to get to this part if you want to get into the Phantom Liberty DLC.
This is what you need to know about whether you should start Cyberpunk 2077 from the start or skip ahead to Phantom Liberty after update 2.0. If you are interested in learning more, then you can check out our guide on how you can get Sir John Phallustiff. You can also check out our guide on getting Chaos. For more content, check out our Cyberpunk 2077 guides hub.