Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is an anime spinoff series set in the universe of Cyberpunk 2077, and it has received critical acclaim, leading to a resurgence in the game's popularity. The developers were prescient enough to add some references to Edgerunners in Cyberpunk 2077's most recent update, but the ties between the game and the show could have - and should have - been much stronger.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners features a largely original cast of characters and takes place in 2076, with the events of the story transpiring both in and beyond Night City. There are a few cameos and appearances from characters that are also in Cyberpunk 2077, but the story is still standalone. Since Edgerunners shows the backstory of what happened in Cyberpunk 2077's Night City in 2076, it's a nice touch that the game now acknowledges some of those characters and their legacies. However, given the explosive popularity of the anime, it's reasonable to wonder whether its integration into Cyberpunk 2077 wasn't extensive enough.
By introducing Easter eggs and items that reference Cyberpunk: Edgerunners in Cyberpunk 2077, CD Projekt Red gave an effective, but inconsequential, nod to their shared universe. A full-scale DLC centered on Edgerunners could show V meeting the show's characters and exploring the aftermath of their story, giving players an unprecedented way of interacting with a show they enjoyed. Some conflicts set up in Cyberpunk: Edgerunners were already resolved in Cyberpunk 2077, but there is certainly more ground that could be covered. Having a DLC prepared to release alongside the show could have led to Edgerunners making the perfect time for Cyberpunk 2077 players to return an even better proposition than it already was. Unfortunately, Cyberpunk 2077's unsteady foundation probably prevented such a strategy from coming together.
Cyberpunk 2077 Couldn't Capitalize On Edgerunners' Sudden Success
Cyberpunk 2077's developers have understandably been focusing much of their attention on simply maintaining the game in the wake of its launch. Even several years later, substantial bug fixes and feature implementations continue to be released, which isn't necessarily common to this extent for a single-player game. If the game had benefited from a more solid launch state, a DLC companion to Cyberpunk: Edgerunners would've been a logical, and likely, endeavor. Since that is unfortunately not the case, while the base game has continued to improve, Cyberpunk 2077 hasn't been able to expand as much as it otherwise could have. As it stands, Cyberpunk 2077's Phantom Liberty DLC will remain its first and only major DLC when it releases next year.
Players looking to experience more substantial storylines and additions to Cyberpunk 2077 may have their desires fulfilled by Phantom Liberty, but it's unlikely that the DLC will be as impactful as a Cyberpunk: Edgerunners expansion could have been. While such a story could certainly have complicated any plans for future seasons of the show, at least starring the same characters, it would have been a smart use of cross-media storytelling to a degree that hasn't often been done in video games. For now, fans of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners will have to take satisfaction in the elements that have already been brought to Cyberpunk 2077, and continue the legacy of aspiring to become legendary edgerunners.
