One Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty Secret Is Still Confusing Four Years After Release

Summary Achieving the "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" ending in Cyberpunk 2077 has become more complicated and rare post-launch.

The exact requirements for triggering this ending seem to have changed, making it difficult for players to unlock.

Players may need to follow specific dialogue options and complete side missions to increase their chances of accessing this elusive ending, but even then, it doesn't always trigger.

This article contains mention of suicide.

One Cyberpunk 2077 mystery is still baffling players four years after launch, and Phantom Liberty seems to have made it even more complicated. Originally released in 2020 in a wildly different form, the game has undergone a lot of changes, not least of which were part of Cyberpunk’s 2.0 update and Phantom Liberty DLC. Besides adding tons of new content, tweaking character progression, and fixing bugs, these major post-launch releases changed some of the finer details of how the story works.

[Warning: This article contains spoilers for one possible ending of Cyberpunk 2077.]

That said, there's one ending that's still very difficult to come by. It's still possible to achieve, but the methods for getting it seem to be more complicated than ever before. It's gone from being attainable with a little foresight (and maybe a decent Cyberpunk 2077 ending guide), to incredibly rare and unreliable to trigger. There are various rumors floating around about different methods of achieving it. None of them seem to work 100% of the time, but having them all in mind can at least help the player's chances.

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Cyberpunk’s “(Don't Fear) The Reaper” Ending Is Still Somewhat Of A Mystery

Basic Requirements For “(Don't Fear) The Reaper”

Even though four years have gone by since release, the exact conditions for triggering Cyberpunk 2077’s “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” ending remain more than a little unclear. That can be frustrating, since this is arguably the happiest possible ending for V in Cyberpunk - as long as it turns out well. In this ending, V and Johnny storm Arasaka Tower alone. If V dies at any point during the mission, it's an instant game over, and the credits roll.

Regular saves are disabled during this final mission, and the mission only autosaves at a couple of specific points, so it's strongly recommended that players save before beginning "(Don't Fear) The Reaper."

It's not an easy mission, either; it's recommended that players max out their level before taking on this ending route, and even then, it won't be easy. But if the two make it to the top, the player can make a final choice. There's some variation in these results, but ultimately, each one represents a different kind of happy ending for V and Johnny both.

However, the conditions for triggering this ending have always been difficult to satisfy, and they seem to have changed since the launch of the DLC. First and foremost, to even trigger the option to go for the "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" ending, it was first believed that V must have a pretty high approval rating from Johnny - at least 70%. More recently, it appears that Johnny's affinity no longer matters since the 2.0 update.

To check V's affinity with Johnny, simply open the main menu. The middle icon, which depicts Samurai's logo, displays Johnny's affinity as a percentage beneath it.

Next, players will have to complete three different side jobs, and choose certain dialogue options during one of them. In order, they must complete "Tapeworm," "Chippin' In," and "Blistering Love." When they're prompted during "Chippin' In," they must say:

"Let's do something about that."

"The Guy who Saved My Life"

"Nah, f****d that up too."

"What do you want from me?"

"OK. But as second chances go, this is your last."

"You were a real d**k in the beginning."

"When you said you let down your friends..."

"Yeah, I'll call Rogue."

Finally, after going to Embers and meeting with Hanako ahead of the final mission, players must select the dialogue option, "Think you and Rogue should go." When they're next prompted to give an answer as to who should accompany them to Arasaka Tower, they'll need to wait for about five minutes on the dialogue selection screen without choosing an option. Finally, Johnny will pipe up and say he has another idea. Choosing to hear more about it should prompt the "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" ending - but it doesn't always do so.

Cyberpunk's "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" Ending Doesn't Always Trigger

Troubleshooting Cyberpunk's Secret Ending

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But some players get all the way to this point, having done absolutely everything right, and still can't trigger the correct line of dialogue. Apparently, somewhere between Phantom Liberty and Cyberpunk 2.0, the exact requirements for this ending shifted, although it's impossible to say exactly how or when. However, there are a few rumors that may help confused players finally trigger "(Don't Fear) The Reaper."

Many claim that it's impossible to get this ending on a first playthrough, but that's not at all true. With how obtuse it can be, it's definitely not intended for first-time players, since they basically have to read a guide to learn which options unlock it. Still, there's nothing in the game's data preventing the player from getting the "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" ending on their first try. So don't be discouraged: as long as all the conditions are satisfied, the ending should be triggered.

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If the player is endlessly waiting on the dialogue option screen for Johnny to interrupt, but he doesn't seem to be saying anything, there may be another solution. If there's a dialogue option available that allows them to unlock the ending. If there's an option that reads, "Could also just put all this to rest," in which V contemplates suicide as an alternative to selecting any of the companions, choosing that may allow them to access the ending.

And of course, there's always the possibility that “(Don't Fear) The Reaper” is bugged. It wouldn't be the only aspect of Cyberpunk seemingly broken by Phantom Liberty, and it'd certainly be a hard one for developers to notice. There is a known issue in which Phantom Liberty's ending glitches into the main ending, resulting in two copies of Johnny being present and talking to V at once. It could be that this glitch disrupts whatever normally needs to happen internally to trigger the ending. In that case, using a save editing mod like Cyber Engine Tweaks may be the only way to fix the issue. But unfortunately, that solution only works for PC players.

Ultimately, the true conditions for triggering this ending remain a bit of a mystery. Updates to Cyberpunk have been slow, so if it really is a bug, there may be a long wait until any kind of official acknowledgment. In the meantime, players can only hope that one of these potential fixes opens the way to "(Don't Fear) The Reaper." If all else fails, they'll have to content themselves with one of Cyberpunk 2077's other endings - for now.

Source: Cyber Engine Tweaks/Nexus Mods