Night City’s newest combat zone does not appear on the map until a specific flag has been reached in Cyberpunk 2077. For owners of Phantom Liberty, the question is rarely whether the expansion is installed—it is how to actually begin the Dogtown storyline. As of 2026, the process remains tied to two official routes: an accelerated start from the main menu, or natural progression through the base campaign to the mission Transmission. Neither method is especially difficult, but each shapes the early experience in a different way.
Prerequisite: Confirm the Expansion Is Installed
Before choosing a route, players should verify that Phantom Liberty has been purchased and downloaded. The 2.0 update that modernized the game was free for anyone who owned the base version, but Phantom Liberty itself remains a paid expansion. On PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S, the DLC must be installed before the Skip Ahead option or the in-game trigger can appear. Because the expansion was designed for current-generation hardware, it is not available on PlayStation 4 or Xbox One.
Method One: Skip Ahead to Phantom Liberty
The simplest entry point sits directly in the main menu. Selecting New Game reveals the Skip Ahead to Phantom Liberty option. The game immediately creates a new V at Level 15, complete with a selection of Tier 2 Uncommon weapons and several pieces of cyberware already installed. Attribute points and perk points are assigned ahead of time, so the player can step into the first mission, Dog Eat Dog, without building a character from scratch. Johnny Silverhand also offers a condensed recap of the main story events that have been skipped.
Because some players prefer to craft their own build, the game allows this pre-generated V to reset attributes and refund perks once the action begins. It is a thoughtful compromise: veterans get speed, while players who want control can adjust the character before fully committing.
Method Two: Play Through Transmission
Players who prefer the original route can start or continue a standard playthrough. The trigger for the expansion appears after completing Transmission, an Act 2 main mission that concludes V's dealings with the Voodoo Boys. If side content is ignored and only the critical path is followed, reaching that point takes roughly eleven hours.
How exactly does the DLC announce itself after Transmission? The player should follow the prompt that leads into Dog Eat Dog. For characters who have already completed Transmission on an older save, installing Phantom Liberty and loading into Night City should make the introductory call available, though a short wait may be necessary while the open world catches up.
| Route | Time to DLC | Starting State | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skip Ahead | Immediate | Level 15 V with pre-allocated perks and Tier 2 gear | Returning players or those focused on new content |
| Transmission playthrough | About 11 hours if rushing | Custom V built through normal progression | New players and players wanting full context |
| Existing save past Transmission | As soon as installed | Player's own existing V | Returning saves |
Which Route Should a Player Choose?
Is it better to skip eleven hours of setup, or does that setup matter? The answer depends on the player's history with Cyberpunk 2077.
Skip Ahead suits players who have already experienced the base campaign and simply want the new district, relic skills, and spy-thriller story. It also removes the risk of losing momentum before Dogtown. However, the accelerated start resolves the major earlier story beats off-screen, and those missions cannot be replayed on that save. A player who values narrative continuity may feel the absence of those choices.
Playing through Transmission suits first-time players or anyone who wants to relearn movement, hacking, driving, and combat before facing Dogtown's tougher encounters. The extra hours provide a natural buildup and let the expansion's opening land with full context.
A Reminder About Dogtown
Whichever path is chosen, Phantom Liberty content remains the same after the opening. The fortified district of Dogtown becomes accessible, a new Relic skill tree expands build options, and the spy-centered main questline unfolds alongside fresh side jobs and gigs. The choice is really about the journey before the first mission, not the destination.
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty is available for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
Data referenced from SteamDB helps players sanity-check that Phantom Liberty is actually installed and up to date on PC before hunting for the in-game trigger: if the DLC package is present and the build is current, the two official entry paths described above—either the main-menu Skip Ahead start at a preset level, or progressing naturally until after Transmission—should surface without extra troubleshooting beyond a brief in-world wait for the call to arrive.