Cyberpunk 2077 launched in December 2020 in a state that got it pulled from a console storefront and triggered a refund programme. It is now one of the most-cited examples of a game being repaired rather than abandoned, following a lengthy patch cycle, a substantial systems overhaul, and a well-received expansion.
That history matters mostly as context. Here's the buying decision.
What it is now
A first-person open-world RPG with a strong central narrative, an excellent expansion, and a rebuilt progression and combat framework. The 2.0-era overhaul reworked skills, cyberware, police response and enemy behaviour substantially enough that reading a 2020 review tells you very little about the current game.
The city itself remains the standout — density, verticality and atmosphere that few open worlds match. The systemic simulation underneath is thinner than the original marketing implied, and if you go in expecting a deep immersive sim you'll notice the gaps. Go in expecting a narrative RPG in a spectacular setting and it delivers comprehensively.
| Edition | Contains | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Base game only | The main campaign and the overhaul updates | Only if it's very heavily discounted and you're unsure |
| Ultimate / Complete Edition | Base game plus the Phantom Liberty expansion | The one to buy — bundled pricing beats buying separately |
| Phantom Liberty separately | Expansion only; requires the base game | Only if you already own the base game |
Is the expansion essential?
Close to it. Phantom Liberty is widely regarded as the strongest writing and mission design in the package, it's structurally distinct from the main campaign, and it came alongside the systems overhaul. It also adds an alternative ending path to the main story.
Buying the base game alone to save money on a heavily discounted bundle is usually a false economy — check the price difference before you decide, because the combined edition frequently costs barely more than the base game on sale.
Steam or GOG?
This comes up constantly and it's a real question with a real answer.
GOG is owned by the same parent company as the developer, so buying there routes more of your money to them and avoids a third-party storefront cut. GOG copies are also DRM-free, which means you can archive an installer and run it indefinitely without a client. If ownership and supporting the studio are your priorities, GOG is unambiguously the right choice.
Steam gives you a more mature cloud save implementation, Workshop-adjacent community infrastructure, achievements integrated with the platform you likely already use, and the most predictable refund policy. Cloud save handling has historically been the main practical complaint about the GOG version, and GOG Galaxy addresses it but less seamlessly.
The honest recommendation: GOG if you care about DRM-free ownership or supporting the developer directly, Steam if you play across multiple machines and want frictionless save syncing. There's no wrong answer, and the game is identical.
Buy it
Console copies are frequently cheaper physically than digitally, and the Ultimate Edition is the version to look for on any platform.
Console performance
Current-generation console versions run well and are a completely different proposition from the launch-era last-generation releases that caused the original controversy. If your only exposure was the launch coverage, that coverage described hardware and software that no longer describe this game.
On PC, ray tracing and path tracing options are extremely demanding, and the game scales well downward. You do not need high-end hardware to have a good time with it.
Who should still skip it
People who want a genuine systemic sandbox where the world reacts persistently to your actions. That's not what this is, and the ambient city simulation is the weakest part of the package. Also anyone who dislikes first-person perspective in an RPG — there's no third-person option outside vehicles.
What holds up
- Night City remains one of the most impressive open-world settings ever built
- Phantom Liberty is exceptional and the bundled edition prices it well
- The 2.0-era overhaul substantially rebuilt progression and combat
- Scales well across hardware; current-gen console versions run properly
What doesn't
- Ambient world simulation is thinner than the original marketing suggested
- First-person only, which won't suit everyone
- Cloud saves on GOG are less seamless than Steam's
- Base-game-only editions are usually a false economy
The verdict
BUY the Ultimate Edition. The bundled expansion is the best content in the package and the pricing usually makes buying separately pointless. This is a genuinely good RPG in an outstanding setting, and the launch reputation no longer describes it.
On storefront: GOG if DRM-free ownership or supporting the developer directly matters to you; Steam if you play across machines and want the smoothest cloud saves. The game is the same either way.