As anticipation builds for Cyberpunk 2077’s next major update, Patch 2.3, players are once again watching CD Projekt Red closely. Following the announcement of a delay, speculation is swirling about what the patch might include and when it will finally arrive. While official details remain scarce, expectations are high, not just because of what Patch 2.3 might add to Cyberpunk 2077, but partially because of how far the game has come. With every update, players wonder whether Night City has yet more secrets to reveal, or if CD Projekt Red still has one last surprise up its sleeve.
What was once one of the most controversial releases in modern gaming has transformed into a celebrated RPG success story. That hard-earned redemption didn’t happen overnight; it was forged through a steady stream of hotfixes, reworks, and bold content updates. The 2.0 overhaul redefined the game’s systems, Phantom Liberty deepened its narrative complexity, and each patch since has reinforced the studio’s commitment to the vision it sold at the game’s announcement. Now, Cyberpunk 2077’s Patch 2.3 has a high bar to meet, representing more than another round of ordinary bug fixes. It’s the next step in Night City’s evolution, and possibly one of its last major milestones.

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Cyberpunk 2077’s History of Patches Tells a Story Ahead of 2.3
With Patch 2.3 on the horizon, it’s the perfect time to revisit the key systems and features that now define the game, especially as players prepare to start a new Cyberpunk 2077 playthrough. From revamped skill trees to overhauled cyberware and vehicle combat, the game has undergone significant evolution. But not all additions have been received equally. Before the next wave of changes arrives, here’s a tiered breakdown of the features that have had the biggest impact and those still fighting for relevance.
This tier list ranks only the major patches for Cyberpunk 2077. Hotfixes and other patches that focus solely on bug fixes (Patch 2.21, for example) are excluded from this ranking.
S-Tier: The Preem Patches
Patch 1.5
For players who had been longing for Cyberpunk 2077 to be the product promised at its announcement, Patch 1.5 represented a lifeboat bearing gifts of hope and joy. Cyberpunk 2077’s Patch 1.5 brought with it an overhaul of the driving system, substantial quality-of-life updates, new weapons, smarter NPC AI, and more. Even smaller things, like being able to see V in a mirror, brought universal delight to the players cheering on CD Projekt Red’s ambitious vision. The 1.5 Patch stands proudly at the top of the S-Tier for the significant improvements it brought to the game. However, it also deserves the top place on the list because it was the patch update that shifted the conversation about Cyberpunk 2077, making the game change from zero to hero.
Patch 2.0
Cyberpunk 2077’s Patch 2.0 was dropped a few days before Phantom Liberty’s release date, igniting a proper golden age of Cyberpunk content. But even in insolation, Patch 2.0 delivered a lot of the content updates that gamers had been clamoring for. The patch introduced an overhaul to various in-game items and systems, including vehicle combat, clothing, stamina, chrome, and weapons. Additionally, Patch 2.0 introduced a major facelift to the police AI, allowing players to embark on adrenaline-pumping police chases in Cyberpunk 2077. Finally, the road was as exciting as being on foot. The patch and DLC combo release was just a double-whammy for players to indulge in, leaving many satisfied with the fact that Cyberpunk 2077 was finally getting closer to the game that was once promised.
A-Tier: Bleeding Edge Updates
Patch 1.6
With an anime and a new patch promised, Q3 of 2022 was a great time to be a Cyberpunk fan. Patch 1.6 was released on September 6, 2022, and delivered the quality of life improvements that made Cyberpunk 2077 a more well-rounded experience—proving that community input definitely mattered when it came to patch content. From arcade games and clothing to additional side content, Patch 1.6 filled in some gaps that made the game feel like a more polished product. It was also the last Cyberpunk 2077 update for last-gen consoles, allowing everyone who owned a copy of the game to experience it at its most stable.
Patch 2.1
Cyberpunk 2077 dropped Patch 2.1 as a surprise. And to the fanbase’s awe, it was a love letter that CDPR had beautifully crafted for those loyal players who had stuck with them since the very beginning. Patch 2.1 gave Cyberpunk 2077 players the content they’d been begging for, including content they had sought out in mods. Overall, this patch was a crowd-pleaser, showcasing CDPR’s goodwill towards its community and earning its spot in the A-Tier.

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B-Tier: Respectably Choom Patches
Patch 1.2
Delayed after CD Projekt Red’s high-profile hack, Patch 1.2 marked the studio’s first real attempt at rebuilding trust with a disillusioned fanbase. The patch notes were massive and a clear indication that CDPR was serious about fixing what was broken. It addressed hundreds of bugs and made the game feel slightly less chaotic than it did at launch. While it didn’t include major overhauls like a police AI rework or expanded customization options that many fans had initially hoped for, it laid crucial groundwork. Player expectations may have outpaced reality, especially considering that the game had a long way to go, but this patch was a necessary step in the right direction.
Patch 1.3
Patch 1.3 arrived with lukewarm fanfare and even cooler player numbers. After months of near silence, its underwhelming contents, including minor UI improvements, slightly expanded mini-maps, and a new jacket, left many players unimpressed. But behind the scenes, Cyberpunk 2077’s Patch 1.3 did something important: it quietly refactored large swaths of the game’s code, paving the way for future system overhauls. It was an unglamorous patch without bells and whistles, but a foundational one nonetheless.
Patch 2.2
Long after Patch 2.1 was announced as the game’s final major update (after a similar announcement with Patch 2.0), Patch 2.2 arrived as yet another surprise. While it didn’t reinvent the wheel, 2.2 delivered meaningful quality-of-life improvements and long-requested features like new vehicle skins, expanded character customization, and photo mode enhancements. If anything, it was a sign of how far Cyberpunk 2077 had come. The game’s core systems were no longer on life support, and for once, an update could afford to be about polish instead of triage.

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C-Tier: For the Gonks
Patch 1.1
The dark ages of Cyberpunk 2077’s lifecycle started well before Patch 1.1. However, this update had the impossible task of addressing all the circumstances that made Cyberpunk 2077 unplayable on certain consoles. The damage of the clunky release had been done. And with poor player and critical reception, CDPR delivered Patch 1.1 to put out the worst fires players experienced during the early days. This patch was primarily intended to stabilize, optimize, and calm the initial storms of game-breaking bugs that plagued the game. Fortunately, brighter days were certainly ahead.
Cyberpunk 2077’s Patch 2.3 Could Be the Last Word in Its Redemption Arc
Looking back at the patch history of Cyberpunk 2077 is like watching a game rebuild itself from the ashes one update at a time. From the early bug-smashing chaos of Patch 1.2 to the sweeping reinvention of 2.0 and the emotional depth of Phantom Liberty, each patch has played its part in transforming Night City from a cautionary tale into one of the most impressive redemption arcs in modern gaming. Now, as Patch 2.3 looms, CD Projekt Red stands at the edge of what might be the final chapter in that transformation. Whether it delivers big surprises or subtle refinements, Patch 2.3 could bring Cyberpunk 2077 full circle. Not just as a game that finally works, but as one that has fully become what it was always meant to be.

Cyberpunk 2077
- Released
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December 10, 2020
- ESRB
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M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
- Engine
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REDengine 4