Cyberpunk 2077’s Cancelled DLC 2 is the Silver Lining that Sets the Stage for Cyberpunk 2

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Cyberpunk 2077 experienced a very rocky launch and public reception. Before the game came out, many people predicted it would be a groundbreaking RPG, especially since it was created by the developers of the popular Witcher 3. While it did generate a lot of buzz, the reaction wasn’t quite the enthusiastic success that CD Projekt Red and its fans had hoped for.

Despite a famously rocky start, Cyberpunk 2077 has evolved into a refined, enjoyable, and replayable action RPG. While the game always had strong points – like its characters, missions, and the immersive world of Night City – these truly shone after the developers fixed the many bugs and performance problems. But CD Projekt Red didn’t stop there; they significantly improved the game beyond just fixing what was broken.

Cyberpunk 2077 Spoilers Ahead

The game has received a lot of new content and significant improvements to its core systems, especially with the release of the Phantom Liberty expansion and the accompanying 2.0 update. Phantom Liberty felt like a major achievement for Cyberpunk, showing how much the game had evolved since it first launched. However, it was so well-received that many players, including me, are disappointed to hear there won’t be any further expansions.

Cyberpunk 2077 Might Have Had a Second, Moon-Based DLC

During the summer of 2024, Insider Gaming revealed leaked files hinting at a second downloadable content (DLC) for Cyberpunk 2077, potentially set on the Moon. The Moon has always been an important, almost looming presence in the Cyberpunk 2077 universe, both in its imagery and story. It plays a key role in multiple endings of the main game, appears frequently in the Cyberpunk: Edgerunners anime, and suggests there’s more to the corporate world beyond what players have already experienced in Cyberpunk 2077.

In the world of Cyberpunk, as Earth became overcrowded and resources dwindled, the Euro Space Agency looked to the Moon – known as Luna – for expansion. Luna is home to two major, highly advanced cities: Tycho and Copernicus. Though the total population of these lunar colonies is only around 58,000 during the time of Cyberpunk 2077, they are able to thrive independently thanks to underground farms and abundant lunar ice. Powerful corporations like Arasaka and Millitech also have a significant presence and wield considerable influence in these settlements.

While officially managed by the Euro Space Agency, Tycho and Copernicus, like many things in the world of Cyberpunk, appear to be heavily influenced by powerful corporations.

The Moon Is an Obvious Next Step for Cyberpunk 2077 After Phantom Liberty

The Phantom Liberty expansion dramatically broadened the world of Cyberpunk 2077. The original game focused on the city of Night City and its problems, but Phantom Liberty expanded the story to encompass the entire New United States of America and the powerful forces shaping it. While the game could potentially expand to a global scale, the most significant expansion would be to venture into space – the ultimate frontier.

Given how Phantom Liberty ends, this idea makes a lot of sense. The DLC’s finale forces V to choose between helping Songbird escape to the moon or giving her to Solomon Reed. No matter the choice, the expansion uses the moon to represent the future – Songbird’s ultimate hope isn’t finding a safe country, but reaching for something beyond. This echoes the “Sun” ending in Cyberpunk 2077, where V continues their journey into space. Like in real life, space in Cyberpunk 2077 often symbolizes limitless potential and the chance for something new.

Cyberpunk 2077’s Allegedly Scrapped Moon DLC Might Be Better If It’s Repurposed for Project Orion

Details about the sequel to Cyberpunk 2077, currently called Project Orion, are still scarce. While there’s speculation it might take place in a city like Chicago, nothing is official. A game entirely set in space or on the Moon feels like a big change of direction, but adding the Moon as a significant, explorable location – even a smaller one than the main game world – wouldn’t be too far-fetched.

The world of Cyberpunk has a rich history that could easily support compelling stories set on the Moon. Given its importance in Phantom Liberty, Edgerunners, and how much fans focus on it, the Moon feels like a natural setting for further exploration. It’s possible that CD Projekt Red (CDPR) once started developing a Moon-based expansion for Cyberpunk 2077, and even if that project was cancelled, they could potentially repurpose those ideas into something amazing for Project Orion.

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2026-01-28 21:06