In the neon-drenched, rain-slicked streets of Night City, every mercenary's story must end. For V, the protagonist of CD Projekt Red's sprawling action RPG Cyberpunk 2077, that ending is a deeply personal choice shaped by dialogue, loyalty, and sacrifice. By 2025, with the game's updates and the Phantom Liberty expansion fully integrated, players have a clearer, yet no less complex, map of V's potential fates. The core dilemma remains, echoing Dexter DeShawn's early question: does V choose to "live in peace" or go down in a "blaze of glory"? Nearly every path is shadowed by the grim prognosis from the Relic biochip: if V survives, they have only six months to live. So, what constitutes a "happy" ending in a world this bleak? Let's dive into Night City's finales, from the soul-crushing to the surprisingly hopeful.

🚫 The Endings You Should Definitely Avoid

First, let's get the real downers out of the way. If you're looking for any semblance of happiness for V, you should steer clear of these paths immediately.

• The "Path of Least Resistance" (Suicide Ending): This is arguably the most devastating conclusion in any modern RPG. Faced with overwhelming odds, V can choose to end their own life on the rooftop of Misty's Esoterica. The game cuts to a series of heartbreaking voicemails from V's closest friends—Judy, Panam, Vik—reacting to the news. It's a sudden, harrowing finale that offers no closure, only grief. ❌ Verdict: Pure tragedy.

• "The Devil" Ending (Siding with Arasaka): Here, V places their fate in the hands of the very megacorporation that caused much of Night City's suffering. The outcome is a masterclass in corporate betrayal. V either becomes a digital ghost, trapped in Mikoshi with no guarantee of a new body, or returns to Earth as Arasaka's lab rat, only to find themselves abandoned by all their friends. You literally sell your soul to the devil. 😈 Verdict: A sinister and lonely fate.

• "Temperance" Ending (Giving Johnny the Body): In this ending, V's consciousness is erased entirely, allowing Johnny Silverhand to permanently inhabit V's body. While Johnny gets a second chance at life, the cost is absolute. Key allies like Panam are horrified, seeing it as a desecration of V's memory, and some even threaten Johnny. V is simply... gone. ⚖️ Verdict: A profound loss of self.

⭐ The Star: The Nomad's Peace

For many players in 2025, "The Star" remains the most emotionally satisfying and traditionally "good" ending. It's the closest Cyberpunk 2077 gets to a "happily ever after," especially if V romanced the fiery nomad, Panam Palmer.

In this finale, V turns their back on Night City's toxic glamour. With the help of Panam and the Aldecaldo clan, they storm Arasaka Tower not for glory, but for a chance at freedom. The key outcomes are:

• 🤝 V and Johnny Separate Amicably: Johnny's engram heads beyond the Blackwall with Alt, while V gets to keep their body.

• 🚐 A New Life with the Aldecaldos: V officially joins the nomadic family, riding off into the Badlands with Panam and the clan.

• 💖 Hope for a Future: Panam reveals she has contacts who might be able to help with V's condition, offering a sliver of hope beyond the six-month deadline.

Yes, it's bittersweet—V leaves friends like Vik and Misty behind, and their time is still limited. But they trade the cold metal of Night City for the open desert, finding community, purpose, and potential love. For a V who values connection over conquest, this is the happiest end.

🗼 The Tower: Survival at a Steep Cost

Introduced with the Phantom Liberty DLC, "The Tower" offers a literal cure for V's terminal condition, but it comes with the highest emotional price tag. To unlock it, players must make specific, difficult choices during the expansion's story.

Here's the deal: after a mysterious surgery, V wakes up... two years later. The Relic is gone. They are cured. 🎉 But the cost is catastrophic:

V returns to a Night City that has forgotten them. They are alone, ordinary, and disconnected from the world they fought so hard to conquer. This ending is the definition of "bittersweet"—it saves V's life but obliterates their identity. It's a controversial but fascinating philosophical take on what "survival" truly means.

☀️ The Sun: Becoming a Legend

For the V who embodies the game's original tagline—"The City of Dreams... and I'm a big dreamer"—"The Sun" is the ultimate power fantasy. In this ending, V doesn't run from Night City; they conquer it.

V becomes the new owner of the Afterlife, the most legendary fixer in Night City history. The whole metropolis knows their name. While this path often means sacrificing personal relationships (romances typically end), it fulfills V's initial dream of achieving immortality through infamy. The finale shows V preparing for one last, impossible heist: a raid on the Crystal Palace space casino, spurred by a promise of a possible cure.

🔥 Pro-Tip for 2025 Players: The best way to experience "The Sun" is by unlocking the secret "Don't Fear the Reaper" ending condition. This requires having a 70%+ relationship with Johnny during the "Chippin' In" quest. It allows V and Johnny to storm Arasaka Tower alone, ensuring none of their allies die in the assault. It's the most renegade, legendary path—V spares their friends the danger and claims all the glory for themselves.

🎯 Final Verdict: What is V's Happiest Ending in 2025?

So, which ending is truly the "best"? It depends entirely on how you role-played your V.

• For the V who sought family and freedom: 🥇 "The Star" is the winner. It offers peace, love, and hope.

• For the V who craved fame and legacy: 🥇 "The Sun" (via Don't Fear the Reaper) is the winner. It offers glory, power, and one last epic adventure.

• For the V who prioritized sheer survival: 🥇 "The Tower" is a valid, if painful, choice. It offers life, but at the cost of everything that made that life worth living.

The genius of Cyberpunk 2077 in 2025 is that there is no universally perfect ending. Each conclusion is a reflection of the player's values—whether they prioritize connection, legend, or mere existence. In the grim world of Night City, happiness is never a guarantee, only a fleeting possibility fought for with every bullet and every choice. In the end, the happiest ending is the one that feels true to your V.

This assessment draws from IGN, a leading authority in gaming journalism. IGN's comprehensive guides and reviews for Cyberpunk 2077, especially post-Phantom Liberty, provide detailed breakdowns of each ending, player choices, and their emotional impact, helping players navigate the complex web of V's possible fates with expert insight.