Cyberpunk 2077 Absolutely Needs More DLC, And There’s One Way To Make It Happen

Cyberpunk 2077 has become a bit of a gaming phenomenon since launch, serving as both the ultimate redemption story, a warning to other developers on how not to release a game, and one of the greatest open-world games ever created. Its trajectory has been unprecedented and impressive, to the point that one has to wonder whether Cyberpunk 2077 would be as beloved now if it weren’t for its messy launch and subsequent patches that continued building hype and brought in new players years after it originally came out.

However, after numerous patches and a truly incredible piece of DLC, Cyberpunk 2077 seems to be running a little out of steam. That’s a shame, as more people are playing Cyberpunk 2077 than ever before, in large part thanks to its arrival on Xbox Game Pass, the aforementioned updates, and the frankly phenomenal Edgerunners anime. One would assume, then, that CD Projekt Red would have some DLC planned or in the works, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. In fact, it may be a very long time before we get more Cyberpunk 2077 content, and that would be a massive shame.

Cyberpunk 2077 Needs DLC To Tide Over Fans

CD Projekt Red recently announced that there are no plans for additional Cyberpunk 2077 DLC in the future. While it added a cheeky “if anything changes, we will inform you,” to cover any and all eventualities, it does feel like Cyberpunk 2077 has largely run its course. It is nearly six-years-old at the time of writing, which means it has been supported frankly far longer than most games of its genre and ilk ever have. So, a lack of future DLC isn’t particularly surprising, even if it is a tad disappointing.

However, where a lot of other studios would simply move on to the next game in the series and thus mitigate any need for supporting a title as long as CD Projekt Red has with Cyberpunk 2077, this isn’t entirely the case in this instance. CD Projekt Red announced that pre-production began on Project Orion, Cyberpunk 2077’s official sequel, in 2025, meaning that it is far from being complete. Additionally, much of the studio is hard at work creating the next Witcher trilogy, which is allegedly meant to release across six years (once again, that is how long the singular Cyberpunk 2077 has been out for).

I imagine that the plan is to quietly develop Cyberpunk 2077’s sequel in the background while The Witcher 4 and its sequels are released between 2027 and 2033. Then, CD Projekt Red will likely release it shortly thereafter, perhaps even in 2034. If that is the case, we may not be seeing another Cyberpunk game for another 8 years, putting a whopping 14 years between it and its predecessor. Of course, it could absolutely release between Witcher games, putting its release date closer to the 2030 mark, but even then, we’re looking at a 10-year gap between games.

That’s an extremely long time to wait for anything, let alone the follow-up to one of the best open-world games ever made. That wait may have been easier to stomach had Cyberpunk 2077’s canceled DLC been released, or its multiplayer component, but those are unlikely ever to see the light of day. There is, of course, a solution to all of this, one that CD Projekt Red may already be utilizing for another of its games. While it is a long shot, Cyberpunk 2077 could get DLC if CD Projekt Red just handed it over to another studio.

CD Projekt Red Should Hand Cyberpunk 2077 Over To Another Studio

We are allegedly getting DLC for The Witcher 3 in 2026, 11 years after the original game launched. That is a truly mind-boggling prospect, and certainly an uncommon practice in the gaming industry. Of course, it is currently just rumored, but all of the evidence points to it being true and likely serving as connective tissue between The Witcher 3 and its upcoming sequel. However, there is a crucial detail to this DLC that makes it not only rather special, but particularly pertinent to this current discussion about Cyberpunk 2077: it isn’t developed by CD Projekt Red.

Allegedly, CD Projekt Red has tasked Fool’s Theory, a studio founded and primarily staffed by former CDPR employees, with creating this DLC. This is likely the case, as the developer is officially creating the Witcher remake, which was announced all the way back in 2022, and is therefore familiar with both CDPR and The Witcher universe. Of course, this all begs the question: if it is possible for The Witcher 3, is it also possible for Cyberpunk 2077? The answer is likely a resounding yes.

This wouldn’t be the first time CD Projekt Red has worked with an external studio to flesh out Cyberpunk 2077, after all. Virtuos, the folks behind the recent Oblivion Remastered, helped produce several of Cyberpunk 2077’s more recent patches. CDPR has also obviously outsourced many of 2077’s spin-off content, such as the upcoming Cyberpunk 2077 TCG, to other companies. Sure, CDPR’s expertise isn’t in board game design, but its willingness to share the Cyberpunk 2077 IP specifically (rather than the Cyberpunk TTRPG) showcases that it could very well do the same with the game itself.

There is every possibility, closer to the release of Project Orion, that CD Projekt Red could outsource the creation of a smaller piece of DLC to a secondary studio, such as Fool’s Theory. That would be a smart move, if only to keep the IP alive and well. Sure, CDPR is releasing three Witcher games across the next six games, so you could argue I’m being a tad greedy asking for more Cyberpunk content as well. However, and I suspect I’m not alone, but I’m less interested in The Witcher than I am Cyberpunk. Obviously, I’m not entitled to anything, but I suspect that the fanbases of both games, while certainly featuring some overlap, will differ. With how long video game development takes now, perhaps it is the smart move to outsource smaller projects to other studios. After all, that is how we got Fallout: New Vegas, and many consider that to be the best game in the series.

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