GameTimeline

Release & story order

Cyberpunk timeline

Cyberpunk from Cyberpunk 2077 (2020) through Phantom Liberty (2023) and the Edgerunners anime (2022)—US release dates, Night City story chronology, Update 2.0, and FAQ for play order, DLC timing, and the announced sequel.

Updated June 2026

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Release order Story order

Release order

When CD Projekt RED shipped each chapter—Cyberpunk 2077 (December 2020), the Edgerunners anime on Netflix (September 2022), then Phantom Liberty and the 2.0 overhaul (September 2023). Update 2.0 and next-gen builds are FAQ-only—not separate Release rows.

  • Newcomers → Cyberpunk 2077 Ultimate Edition (base + Phantom Liberty) on PC or current-gen consoles
  • Optional watch → Edgerunners before or after starting 2077—both work
  • Release history → 2020 game → 2022 anime → 2023 expansion + 2.0 patch
  • Skip tabletop RPG lore unless you want deep world-building—games stand alone
Story order tips

One Night City continuity: Cyberpunk: Edgerunners (2076–2077) → Cyberpunk 2077 main campaign → Phantom Liberty (mid-2077 branch after Act 2). The anime enriches the game but is optional—play or watch in either order for a first run.

  • Core fiction: Edgerunners (2076) → Cyberpunk 2077 → Phantom Liberty (2077 mid-story)
  • Phantom Liberty needs a save at the right Act 2 point—do not finish the main story first
  • Edgerunners references in-game Easter eggs land harder after watching
  • On Story order, later entries may be hidden—reveal when ready or use Show all spoilers

Timeline

When each game was released. Click a game for platforms, dates, and where it fits in your playthrough.

Release order

  1. Cyberpunk 2077

    Cyberpunk 2077

    PCPS4Xbox OneStadiaRPGMainline

    V in Night City—open-world RPG with Johnny Silverhand.

    Overview
    CD Projekt RED's first-person open world—lifepaths, cyberware builds, and branching endings in a dense future city.
    In-game setting
    Story year 2077: mercenary V takes a job that spirals into corporate war and the Relic chip crisis.
    Should you play it?
    Play the Ultimate Edition today—includes Phantom Liberty. Original launch build is obsolete.
    Release date
    US launch December 10, 2020. PS5 and Xbox Series X|S versions and Update 2.0 arrived with Phantom Liberty (2023).
  2. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners

    Cyberpunk: Edgerunners

    NetflixAnimeCross-media

    Trigger anime—David Martinez and Maine's crew in Night City.

    Overview
    Studio Trigger × CDPR—10-episode limited series expanding Night City street-level fiction.
    In-game setting
    Story year 2076–2077: prequel-adjacent to the game—David's arc ends where the game world continues.
    Should you play it?
    Optional but highly recommended—short binge before or during a 2077 playthrough.
    Release date
    Netflix premiere September 13, 2022. English and Japanese dubs; no game install required.
  3. Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty

    Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty

    PCPS5Xbox Series X|SRPGExpansion

    Spy-thriller expansion—Dogtown, Solomon Reed, and President Myers.

    Overview
    Major story expansion with Idris Elba's Reed, reworked perk trees, and vehicle combat—launched alongside Update 2.0.
    In-game setting
    Story year 2077: branches mid-campaign—V joins FIA agent Songbird in a coup plot.
    Should you play it?
    Included in Ultimate Edition. Start only after reaching the correct Act 2 main-story checkpoint.
    Release date
    US launch September 26, 2023. Requires current-gen PC or PS5/XSX—no PS4/XOne support.

FAQ

Release vs story order, Edgerunners placement, when to start Phantom Liberty, remasters, and what's next.

Release order

Release order is when CD Projekt RED and partners launched each chapter in the US—Cyberpunk 2077 (2020), Edgerunners anime (2022), Phantom Liberty (2023). Story order follows Night City fiction: Edgerunners (2076) → Cyberpunk 2077 → Phantom Liberty (2077 mid-campaign). The anime shipped between game and expansion but sits first in fiction.

Buy Cyberpunk 2077 Ultimate Edition (base game + Phantom Liberty) on PC, PS5, or Xbox Series X|S. Optionally watch Cyberpunk: Edgerunners on Netflix first or after Act 1. Do not play the 2020 launch build—Update 2.0 is the baseline. Finish Phantom Liberty before wrapping the main ending.

Story & lore

Any of these work: Before 2077 for emotional context and Easter eggs; After Act 1 while you know Night City; After finishing the game without spoilers to the main plot. Edgerunners is a separate cast—David's story does not require game knowledge. Story order lists it first (2076) but it is optional for gameplay.

Phantom Liberty opens after a specific Act 2 main-story checkpoint—the game prompts you via a phone call from Songbird. Do not complete the main story first—the expansion rewires late-game choices. If you already beat the base game, reload an earlier save or start a new playthrough. Ultimate Edition includes the expansion; no separate purchase needed.

CD Projekt RED announced a Cyberpunk sequel (internally Project Orion)—FAQ only, no release date as of June 2026. It continues the IP after 2077 and Phantom Liberty. This page covers shipped content through Phantom Liberty; the sequel will get a Release row when dated.

Updates & editions

Optional & spin-offs

More timelines

Other release-order and story-order guides on this site.