Cyberpunk 2077 Update 2.20 2.21 -23.01.2025- May 2026
Report Date: January 23, 2025
Game: Cyberpunk 2077 (including Phantom Liberty expansion)
Platforms: PC (Steam, GOG, Epic), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Releasing simultaneously as version 2.21 (build ID 123647), this patch is smaller in size but arguably more noticeable.
Update 2.20 and 2.21 (23.01.2025) aren’t flashy. There’s no new quest, no hidden ending, no metro expansion. But what they represent is a game finally finished – polished, stable, and feature-complete.
Cyberpunk 2077 now stands alongside The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt as a monument to CD Projekt Red’s post-launch dedication. If you’ve been waiting for the definitive moment to re-enter Night City, January 23, 2025 – Update 2.21 – is that moment.
V out.
For help with mod compatibility after Update 2.21, visit our modding guide. For sequel news, search “Project Orion” – CDPR’s next-gen Cyberpunk.
Patch 2.21 for Cyberpunk 2077 was released on January 23, 2025
. It serves primarily as a stability and refinement update following the major feature additions of Patch 2.2. www.cyberpunk.net 1. Key Features from the 2.2 Foundation
To understand 2.21, you must leverage the core features introduced in Patch 2.2: Expanded Vehicle Customization : Use the spray can icon on the Autofixer website to identify cars compatible with CrystalCoat™ Paint Jobs
: Now available for Herrera, Mizutani, Quadra, and Villefort vehicles. TWINTONE™
: Scan any compatible NPC car to copy and save its color scheme for a small fee. Massive Character Customization
: 112 new assets were added, including 32 eye colors, 18 lip makeup types, and 8 cosmetic face cyberware options. Photo Mode Overhaul
: Features a free "Drone Camera," the ability to spawn up to 3 NPCs with custom poses, and "SmartFrames" to display shots in V’s apartments. 2. Patch 2.21 Specific Improvements
The January 23rd update focuses on technical polish and hardware support: www.cyberpunk.net PC Graphics (NVIDIA) : Added support for
with Multi Frame Generation for GeForce RTX 50 Series cards (enabled January 30th). It also introduces a "Transformer model" for DLSS Ray Reconstruction to reduce smudging in motion. Photo Mode Stability
: Fixed issues where spawned characters (like Adam Smasher) would have frozen expressions or disappear based on camera positioning. Quest & NPC Fixes
Fixed a bug in "Run This Town" that prevented deactivating the Aguilar imprint.
Resolved "Johnny ghosting" where he could appear duplicated in the passenger seat. www.cyberpunk.net 3. Optimisation & Performance Guide For the best experience on current patches:
The Cyberpunk 2077 Update 2.21 was released on January 23, 2025. It primarily serves as a stability and refinement patch for the major features introduced in Update 2.2. Update 2.21 Key Features (January 23, 2025)
DLSS 4 Support (PC): Adds support for NVIDIA DLSS 4 with Multi-Frame Generation, significantly boosting FPS for RTX 50 series GPU owners by generating up to three times more frames.
Ray Reconstruction Improvements: Users can now choose between the standard CNN model and a new Transformer model for DLSS Ray Reconstruction, Super Resolution, and DAA on all GeForce GPUs. The Transformer model provides sharper images with fewer artifacts.
Photo Mode Stability: Fixes several issues where characters (like Nibbles or Adam Smasher) wouldn't spawn correctly in water or mid-air, and ensures V's rotation and position are correctly saved in presets.
Johnny Silverhand Passenger Logic: Fixes a bug from 2.2 where Johnny wouldn't appear in the passenger seat often enough; he is now correctly scripted to appear roughly 25% of the time while driving. Update 2.2 Core Content (The Foundation)
Update 2.21 builds on the massive additions of Update 2.2 (December 2024), which included: Update 2.2 is live! - Home of the Cyberpunk 2077 universe
Cyberpunk 2077 Patch 2.21 was released on January 23, 2025, for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. It primarily serves as a follow-up to the major 2.2 "Express Yourself" update, addressing critical bugs and introducing advanced graphics features for PC players. Key Features & Technical Updates
NVIDIA DLSS 4 Support (PC Only): Introduces support for DLSS 4, featuring multi-frame generation for RTX 50 series GPUs to significantly boost frame rates. Cyberpunk 2077 Update 2.20 2.21 -23.01.2025-
New Reconstruction Models: Users can now choose between the standard CNN model and a new Transformer model for DLSS Ray Reconstruction and Super Resolution, which reduces artifacts and improves sharpness.
Visual Fixes: Resolved issues with "smudging" and artifacts on in-game screens when using Ray Reconstruction. Photo Mode Improvements
The update includes over 20 fixes for Photo Mode to enhance the character customization features added in 2.2:
Character Spawning: Nibbles and Adam Smasher can now be spawned while V is in the air or water.
Adam Smasher Fixes: Restored his glowing chest cyberware and fixed facial expression options.
Preset Reliability: Positions, rotations, and spawned characters (like Johnny Silverhand) now save correctly in presets and no longer snap to the ground unexpectedly. General Bug Fixes
Johnny Silverhand: Fixed a bug where Johnny would often fail to appear in the passenger seat or would appear as a duplicate during certain quests.
Vehicles: Corrected the description for the Quadra Turbo-R V-Tech and fixed issues with the CrystalCoat systems.
UI & Audio: Fixed the "Check What's New" main menu popup and addressed quiet or missing voiceovers on TV news channels.
Quest Fix: Resolved an issue in the mission "Run This Town" where players could not deactivate the Aguilar imprint after meeting Bennett. Installation Notes PC Download: Approximately 4 GB.
Console Download (PS5/Xbox): Approximately 22 GB due to file re-formatting requirements. Cyberpunk 2077 PATCH 2.21 Review & Biggest Changes!
Released on January 23, 2025, Cyberpunk 2077 Update 2.21 introduces NVIDIA DLSS 4 support for RTX 50-series GPUs on PC and addresses various bugs, particularly within the Photo Mode and character creation features. The patch also resolves issues with vehicle paint jobs, console stability, and character animations, building upon the content from Update 2.2. For the official patch notes, visit Cyberpunk.net Patch 2.21 - Home of the Cyberpunk 2077 universe
Cyberpunk 2077 Update 2.21: The January 23, 2025 Patch Breakdown
On January 23, 2025, CD Projekt Red released Patch 2.21 for Cyberpunk 2077. This update arrived as a follow-up to the significant Update 2.2 that launched in late 2024, focusing primarily on technical refinements, photo mode enhancements, and next-gen PC support. Performance and PC-Specific Upgrades
The highlight of Patch 2.21 for PC players is the introduction of cutting-edge AI technology for the latest hardware:
DLSS 4 Support: Integrated for GeForce RTX 50 Series graphics cards, enabling Multi Frame Generation to boost FPS by up to three times.
Ray Reconstruction: Players can now choose between the standard CNN model and a new Transformer model for DLSS Ray Reconstruction and Super Resolution. The Transformer model is designed to provide sharper images with fewer artifacts and improved stability in motion.
Bug Fixes: Resolved issues where artifacts or smudging appeared on in-game screens when using Ray Reconstruction and Frame Generation. Photo Mode and Customization Fixes
Patch 2.21 refines features introduced in 2.2, with specific attention to Photo Mode, character, and vehicle systems:
Photo Mode: Improvements allow for spawning iconic characters like Adam Smasher and Nibbles in mid-air or water. Fixes also address UI issues with the rule of thirds grid and stability issues when combined with Wardrobe/Stash, along with fixing Smasher's visual artifacts.
Customization: Character creation fixes ensure randomizer settings stick and piercing options appear correctly. Vehicle updates resolve texture and color issues with CrystalCoat technology. General Updates and World Polish
Addressing broader game stability and immersion, this patch includes several fixes:
Quest & Characters: Resolved issues with the "Run This Town" quest and fixed rare Johnny Silverhand duplication bugs.
Audio/UI: Audio levels for TV news are corrected, and vehicle descriptions are updated.
Console Stability: Xbox Series S players should no longer see graphics mode default incorrectly to Quality. Report Date: January 23, 2025 Game: Cyberpunk 2077
Cyberpunk 2077 Update 2.21 Brings Much-Needed Fixes - Yahoo Tech
Since CD Projekt Red has moved on to the Orion project and Patch 2.12 was the last major update, a "Update 2.20/2.21" dropping on January 23, 2025, would be a significant "Quality of Life & Community Wish List" update—likely a final polish pass before full development shifts gears.
Here is a concept for the Cyberpunk 2077 Update 2.20 / 2.21 Patch Notes.
Night City, January 23rd, 2025 – 03:17
The air in Jig-Jig Street smelled of stale synth-beer, ozone, and desperation. For most, it was just another Thursday. But for a select few—the netrunners, the tech-priests, and the conspiracy-addled—the clock was ticking toward something else entirely.
Update 2.20 had dropped two days prior, on the 21st. Patch notes were typical: "Improved pathfinding for trauma drones," "Fixed an issue where Panam’s pants would clip through the Thorton," "Adjusted damage scaling for Smart Weapons in late-game scenarios." The usual ghost-hunting in the machine.
But then, on the 22nd, a silent hotfix—2.21—rolled out with zero announcement. That’s when the whispers started.
V (no relation to the original, just a wannabe edgerunner with a Kiroshi Optics knock-off) first noticed it in The Afterlife. A braindance junkie in the corner was convulsing, not from a BD, but from something leaking through the local data-term. His agent was repeating a string of hex code out loud: 0xDEADBEEF 0xCAFEBABE 2.20.2.21.230125.
“That’s not a normal error,” V muttered, sliding a fresh magazine into her Omaha.
Her choom, a washed-up netrunner named Deckard, pulled his hood tighter. “That’s a timestamp. 23rd of January, 2025. 03:17. That’s… three minutes from now.”
At that exact second, every screen in The Afterlife flickered. Not a glitch—a message. In stark, glowing orange text, the same font as the update logs, three words appeared:
> SYSTEM_REMEMBER_ME?
Then: Update 2.22: UNPLANNED. INITIATING MORGUE PROTOCOL.
Across the city, the dead began to call home.
First, the memorial kiosks in North Oak—the ones displaying Jackie Welles’s face—spontaneously rebooted. His pixelated ghost smiled and said, "Hey, choom. Miss me?" Then the Columbarium’s data-slabs scrolled names that weren’t there a second ago: Evelyn Parker. T-Bug. Rebecca. David Martinez.
The real terror, however, was the relic. Every person with experimental neuroport tech, every veteran of the Arasaka soulkiller program, felt a cold shiver as their bio-monitors received a silent ping: PATCH REQUIRED. YOUR GHOST IS OUT OF DATE.
V felt it too. A whisper in the back of her skull—not Johnny Silverhand, but someone else. Someone new. “They didn’t delete us,” the voice said, a chorus of a thousand dead runners. “They just compressed us. Update 2.20… they accidentally defragmented the cemetery.”
Panic seized the city. Militech AVs scrambled. NetWatch went dark—not from an attack, but from internal chaos. Their own Blackwall AIs were partitioning, forming digital trade unions.
And then, at 04:00, the true patch notes streamed directly into every HUD in Night City:
Cyberpunk 2077 Update 2.21 – Unofficial Changelog:
V ran outside. Above the MegaBuilding H10, the sky was wrong. The usual smog had arranged itself into a massive, flickering QR code. She scanned it with her optics.
It linked to a single, hidden file in the old Arasaka subnet: a farewell message from Alt Cunningham, dated before her transcendence.
“You thought 2.0 was a rebirth,” it read. “No. That was the funeral. This? This is the wake. And everyone’s invited.”
As the first digital ghost—a phantom Jackie Welles, still holding his shotguns—materialized in the middle of the intersection of Halsey and MLK, V smiled despite the fear.
“Patch 2.21,” she whispered. “They finally fixed the bug that was life.” For help with mod compatibility after Update 2
In the distance, a rogue Delamain cab drove itself off a cliff, honking "Never Fade Away" in binary. Night City wasn’t just a city anymore. It was a séance. And the update had just gone live.
End of transmission.
Cyberpunk 2077 Patch 2.21: The Full Breakdown of the January 23 Update
On January 23, 2025, CD Projekt Red released Patch 2.21 for Cyberpunk 2077, marking a significant technical milestone for the game nearly five years after its initial launch. While following the major Update 2.2 from December 2024, this newest iteration focuses heavily on cutting-edge PC performance and deep-rooted bug fixes. The PC Revolution: DLSS 4 and RTX 50 Series Support
A major highlight of Patch 2.21 is the introduction of DLSS 4 with Multi-Frame Generation, designed specifically to leverage the power of NVIDIA’s RTX 50 series GPUs for improved frame rates. Additionally, all RTX users can now select a new Transformer model for DLSS Ray Reconstruction, promising higher visual fidelity, alongside improved memory optimization for faster rendering. Enhancing Your Journey in Night City
Beyond performance, this update addresses several community-reported issues to improve overall gameplay. Key changes include: Cyberpunk 2077 PATCH 2.21 Review & Biggest Changes!
Cyberpunk 2077 : The 2025 Evolution (Updates 2.20 & 2.21) Following the game's massive redemption arc, CD Projekt Red continued to refine Night City in early 2025. While the major "expansion" era concluded with Phantom Liberty Update 2.20 (released December 2024) and the subsequent Update 2.21 (January 23, 2025)
introduced significant technical milestones and quality-of-life features. Update 2.21: The "New Generation" Patch (Jan 23, 2025) Released on January 23, 2025
, this update primarily focused on cutting-edge PC performance and vital bug fixes across all platforms. www.cyberpunk.net NVIDIA DLSS 4 Support : Introduced support for on PC, specifically targeting the RTX 50 series
GPUs. This includes multi-frame generation that can boost FPS by up to three times using AI. AI Model Selection : Players can now choose between the standard Transformer model
for DLSS Ray Reconstruction and Super Resolution. The Transformer model generally offers a sharper image with fewer artifacts. Photo Mode Enhancements New Spawns : You can now spawn (the cat) and Adam Smasher while V is in the air or water.
: Improved facial expressions for Smasher and fixed issues with Johnny Silverhand’s alternate appearance. Key Bug Fixes "Run This Town"
: Fixed a frustrating bug where players couldn't deactivate the Aguilar imprint after meeting Bennett. Johnny in the Car
: Fixed instances where Johnny appeared duplicated in the passenger seat or failed to appear often enough during free-roaming. Update 2.20: The Foundation (Dec 2024)
Update 2.21 built upon the major features introduced just a month prior in Update 2.20 , which was a collaboration with Virtuos Games. Cyberpunk 2077 UPDATE 2.2 Review & Biggest Changes!
Released on January 23, 2025, Cyberpunk 2077 Update 2.21 served as a critical follow-up to the broader version 2.20, primarily focusing on advanced PC hardware support and extensive refinements to the game’s Photo Mode. While CD Projekt Red had previously suggested major development would wind down after the 2023 Update 2.0, this early 2025 patch continued the "redemption story" of the game into its fifth year. Key Features of the 2.21 Update 1. PC Technical Advancements
The headline feature for PC enthusiasts was the official integration of NVIDIA DLSS 4 support.
Performance Boosting: Optimized for the RTX 50-series GPUs, this update introduced multi-frame generation capabilities aimed at significantly increasing frame rates.
DLSS Ray Reconstruction: The patch addressed artifacts and "smudging" on in-game screens specifically when using Ray Reconstruction and Frame Generation.
New AI Models: Users gained the ability to toggle between the standard CNN model and a new Transformer model for DLSS Super Resolution and Ray Reconstruction, offering a sharper image with fewer artifacts. 2. Extensive Photo Mode Overhaul
Following new options introduced in version 2.20, Patch 2.21 fixed several functional "pain points" for virtual photographers:
Character Spawning: Fixed issues where characters like Nibbles or Adam Smasher could not be spawned while V was in mid-air or water.
Preset Saving: A major quality-of-life fix allowed V’s exact rotation and position to be correctly saved within presets.
Adam Smasher Fixes: Resolved issues with Smasher’s facial expressions and restored missing glowing chest cyberware. 3. Vehicle Customization & Bug Fixes Neon Dreams: Returning to Cyberpunk 2077 in 2025
Remember how the Rayfield Caliburn felt like driving on ice? Those days are gone.