What Cyberpunk 2077's Starting Lifepaths Are (& What They Affect)
Cyberpunk 2077's Lifepaths determine who your character is and where they come from. Here's what players can expect from each unique origin.
Cyberpunk 2077 continues to sit firmly at the top of many’s Most Anticipated Games lists and deservedly so. CD Projekt Red has a strong history of crafting deeply immersive worlds crossed with high-quality writing and gameplay. In preparation for the launch of their next game, CDPR has hosted its second episode of Night City Wire. During this episode, players were given a glimpse into how they will determine their character’s origins. These three different backstories, known as Lifepaths, determine not only where in Night City players begin their journey but many other facets of the Cyberpunk 2077 experience.
The first Lifepath showcased during episode 2 of Night City Wire was Street Kid. Beginning in the heart of Night City, players following this path live by the motto “Born here. Live here. Die here.” Street Kids have a strong sense of local loyalty. Their lives are spent building a reputation within the gang-controlled underbelly of the city. The goal of the Street Kid is to make a name for themselves and to rise to the top of the food chain.
Street Kids know how to get things done in Cyberpunk 2077. They know who to talk to and they know the language that must be spoken. According to CDPR, Street Kids have an inherent inside knowledge of how the city works. They might have contacts that others don’t which give them distinct advantages in missions within the city. Players should be wary, however. Street Kids may end up having to choose between making decisions that compromise their morals versus climbing the proverbial ladder.
Next, there are the Nomads. Instead of growing up in Cyberpunk 2077's city, Nomads begin their journey in the Outskirts. These desolate lands outside the city generally bring people together to form clans that see each other as family. Members of the clan stick with together and leaving that family is deeply discouraged and shocking.
Players who chose the Nomad Lifepath in Cyberpunk 2077 are a former member of one of these clans, and their reasons for departing remain mysteriously unknown. The only thing that is clear is that Nomads want to go it alone. They are looking for adventure, freedom, and have no desire for association with larger communities. The one larger challenge that Nomads will face that other Lifepaths will not is how to physically get into Night City from the Outskirts. While it sounds like a simple task, it's hinted that it may not be so easy to complete.
Finally, there is the Corporate, affectionately known in Cyberpunk 2077 as the Corpo. Corpos live for the corporate grind. They excel more in a boardroom than they do on the streets. Specializing in nuanced espionage, Corpos live two lives: one of handshakes, and one of violence. Like Street Kids, Corpos seek to improve their position, but within the Arasaka Corporation. Players taking on the role of Corporate should expect to "zero" (assassinate) characters in-game at the behest of their superiors, but should always be on the lookout for other Corpos trying to do the same to them. One great strength of those living the Corporate life is their ability to read those sitting across the table from them. Subtle queues will be the player's specialty and may be the difference in spotting a lie versus falling for a trap.
Each of these different Lifepaths in Cyberpunk 2077 will provide a genuinely unique experience for the player, not just in the opening hours, but for most of the game. Allies that may help with certain missions may be found in the Outskirts as a Nomad, but may only be passing acquaintances for Street Kids. Boardroom meetings that share game-changing information will obviously be only available to current employees of the Arasaka Corporation. These and many other factors all add up to the fact that Cyberpunk 2077 simply can’t be experienced all in one go. Multiple playthroughs across multiple generations will not only give players a chance to make different choices, but see the vast world through an entirely different lens.
Cyberpunk 2077 releases November 19th on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC.