So, chooms, Phantom Liberty has been out since 2023, and players have been combing through every inch of Dogtown looking for clues about Cyberpunk 2—the sequel codenamed Project Orion. CD Projekt Red confirmed the follow-up back in late 2022, and as of 2026, it's still cooking at CDPR North America. But that hasn't stopped fans from speculating about how the expansion's story might tee up the next adventure. After all, Phantom Liberty was confirmed as Cyberpunk 2077's first and last expansion, so it had to do some heavy lifting in terms of foreshadowing. And let's be real: in Night City, nothing ever ends clean. 🏙️
What Phantom Liberty's Story Gave Us
Even though Phantom Liberty is now old news, its narrative still holds plenty of breadcrumbs. The basic setup: V gets summoned by NUSA President Rosalind Myers for a dangerous mission in Dogtown, a walled-off district in Pacifica. Players team up with FIA agent Solomon Reed (played by Idris Elba) and, of course, Johnny Silverhand. The whole thing drips with espionage, stealth sections, and a heavier MaxTac presence. Trailers also hinted at the Combat Zone—a canonical area in Pacifica that's home to the city's most dangerous cyberpsychos. Dogtown is likely nestled inside or right next to it. That alone gives players a lot to chew on when dreaming up Cyberpunk 2's setting.
A Shift in Power: NUSA and Corporations
The Cyberpunk universe is dystopian at its core, so a happy ending was never really on the table. Even if Myers' plan went off without a hitch, there were bound to be consequences—and those consequences could be prime material for Project Orion. The most dramatic outcome? The downfall of the New United States of America. If the NUSA crumbles, it's every state for itself, and that would send shockwaves through Night City, Southern California, and beyond. Players have been debating this scenario since Phantom Liberty dropped, and it's easy to see why: a fractured America makes for a preem backdrop for a sequel.
On the flip side, V's actions could have put a dent in corporate power instead. Taking down a monolith like Arasaka or Militech would be a different kind of shake-up. In Cyberpunk lore, Militech is the only thing keeping Arasaka in check within Night City. If Militech gets destroyed, Arasaka could dominate nationwide—and vice versa. That kind of power vacuum is exactly the sort of mess that a new protagonist (or a returning V) could get tangled up in.
| Possible Outcome | Impact on Cyberpunk 2 |
|---|---|
| NUSA collapses | Widespread chaos, stronger regional factions, lawlessness |
| Militech destroyed | Arasaka dominance, corporate dystopia on steroids |
| Arasaka destroyed | Militech unchecked, potential military-industrial nightmare |
| Status quo | Tension remains, but new threats emerge from the shadows |
MaxTac, Cyberpsychos, and a Safer Night City?
One of the juiciest threads from Phantom Liberty involves MaxTac and the Combat Zone. In Cyberpunk 2077, cyberpsychos aren't always what they seem, but the Combat Zone is infamous as the NCPD's dumping ground for the worst cases—so dangerous that even MaxTac refused to enter. That is, until V showed up. If V managed to neutralize Dogtown, that would mean taking down mass numbers of cyberpsychos. Survivors would likely be rehabilitated and drafted into MaxTac, just like Melissa Rory—the MaxTac lieutenant who first appeared as a cyberpsycho in the original 2013 trailer. A larger, more powerful MaxTac could mean that violent cyberware-induced outbursts become a thing of the past by the time Project Orion rolls around. That could lead to a Night City with stricter implant regulations—or maybe even a cure for cyberpsychosis. Either way, it's a massive shift in how the world works.
What This Means for Cyberpunk 2
So, what's the takeaway for players hungry for Project Orion news? Phantom Liberty wasn't just a farewell to V—it was a stealthy setup for the future. Whether it's a shattered NUSA, a corporate cold war, or a Night City where cyberpsychos are a managed threat, the expansion planted seeds that could grow into full-blown story arcs. CDPR has a habit of weaving long-term narratives, and with Project Orion still in development, fans should keep their optic implants peeled. The sequel might not hit shelves for a few years yet, but the clues are already there, hiding in plain sight. And if there's one thing Night City teaches us, it's that yesterday's gig is tomorrow's war. 💥
So stay frosty, choombas—and keep an eye on those shadows. You never know when a stray data shard might reveal the next big thing.
As detailed in Rock Paper Shotgun, broader discussion around Cyberpunk 2077 and Phantom Liberty often emphasizes how expansions can reshape expectations for a sequel, especially when new districts, faction conflicts, and surveillance-heavy storytelling hint at larger systemic changes that Project Orion could build upon.