Yes, if you like solo, story-driven, open-world RPGs, Cyberpunk 2077 is worth it in 2026, and it is in the best state it has ever been. That is the answer that matters when the question is whether the most infamous launch in recent memory is actually a great game now, or whether we are all just being kind to it. It launched in a state that became a punchline, got pulled from a storefront, and spent years being the example everyone reached for when they wanted to talk about broken promises, and I am not here to relitigate 2020. I am here for what the game is now, because the honest answer has changed completely, and the hesitation you might still be carrying is a memory of a thing that no longer exists.
Why 2.0 is the reason the conversation flipped
The 2.0 overhaul reworked the skill trees, the cyberware system and the police, and turned the moment-to-moment combat from a loose mess into something with real teeth, so builds finally feel like builds. You commit to a playstyle, you specialise, and Night City responds to it, which is the rare case of a developer going back and rebuilding the foundations rather than slapping on a coat of paint and calling it fixed. If you want to see exactly how much it shifts the feel before you commit, I put it through its paces in THE 2.0 UPDATE MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE in Cyberpunk 2077!, and that film is the argument in motion rather than a trailer for a city you already mistrust.
Phantom Liberty, which is the version I would buy
Phantom Liberty is the expansion that proved the world had something to say, a tight, well-written spy thriller bolted onto the side of the main campaign, and it is the strongest stretch of storytelling in the whole package. If you are buying in fresh, get the version that includes it, because the base game is good and the base game plus Phantom Liberty is the full argument for why this place is worth visiting. I would not split them to save a few notes and then wonder why the back half of the city feels like it is waiting for a story you left on the store page.
Project Orion, and the years you would be waiting
CD Projekt Red has wound down further expansions for 2077 to put its weight behind The Witcher 4 and the next Cyberpunk game, which is codenamed Project Orion. That sequel is still early in development, sitting in pre-production, and the studio has said it will not arrive any time soon. I am not going to invent a release window for you, because nobody credible has a firm one, so the takeaway is that 2077 is the version you can actually play, and it will stay that way for the foreseeable future. Waiting means waiting for years, which is a long time to leave a finished Night City on the shelf out of loyalty to a codename.
Who will still bounce off Night City
If you came up purely on tight tactical extraction loops and you have no patience for menus, dialogue and a story that wants two hours of setup before it grips you, this is a different rhythm entirely. It is dense and talky, and it rewards the player who wants to live in a place rather than clear it. That is a feature, and it is not for every mood, so if you want the calmer end of the solo spectrum I keep a wider list in the best open world games to play solo, where Night City sits comfortably for a reason. Buy the edition that bundles Phantom Liberty, and wait for one of the regular sales if your budget is tight, because this game discounts often and deeply, and you do not need to pay full price to get the full experience.
Cyberpunk 2077 went from cautionary tale to genuinely recommendable, and 2026 is the moment to play it, while the full state of the game, the current patches and where it sits in my rotation are logged on the Cyberpunk 2077 hub. Come and tell me on the channel whether Night City finally got its hooks into you, because mine are well and truly in.
FAQ
Is Cyberpunk 2077 worth it in 2026?
Yes, and if you like solo, story-driven, open-world RPGs it is in the best state it has ever been, which makes this the definitive version of the game, with the hesitation you might still be carrying attached to a launch that no longer exists. I am not interested in relitigating 2020 when the build you can buy now is the one that finally has teeth.
Should you wait for the Cyberpunk sequel?
No, because the sequel, codenamed Project Orion, is still in pre-production and will not arrive for years, while Cyberpunk 2077 is the version you can actually play now. CD Projekt Red has wound further expansions down to put weight behind The Witcher 4 and that next game, and nobody credible has handed me a release window I would print.
Which edition of Cyberpunk 2077 should you buy?
Buy the edition that bundles the Phantom Liberty expansion, and wait for one of the regular sales if your budget is tight, since the game discounts often and deeply and you do not need full price to get the full experience. The base game is good, and base game plus the expansion is the version I would actually boot, since splitting them is how the best stretch of Night City gets left on the store page.
What did the 2.0 update change in Cyberpunk 2077?
It reworked the skill trees, the cyberware system and the police, and turned the moment-to-moment combat from a loose mess into something with real teeth, so builds finally feel like builds and Night City responds to the playstyle you commit to. That rebuild is why the conversation around the game flipped, rather than a coat of paint being asked to do the job.
Is Phantom Liberty worth buying?
Yes, it is a tight, well-written spy thriller bolted onto the main campaign, and it is the strongest stretch of storytelling in the whole package, which is why buying in fresh means getting the version that includes it. I would not do the base game and promise yourself the expansion later, because later is how people miss the best bit of Night City.
Who will not enjoy Cyberpunk 2077?
If you came up purely on tight tactical extraction loops with no patience for menus, dialogue and a slow-burn story, this is a different rhythm entirely, because it is dense and talky, and it rewards the player who wants to live in a place rather than clear it. That density is a feature, and it is also not every mood, which I would rather admit than sell you two hours of setup you will resent.
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