Who Is V in Cyberpunk 2077? A Deep Dive

Even years after its initial release, the sprawling, neon-drenched world of Night City continues to captivate players in 2025. At the heart of this unforgettable experience is the protagonist, a character known simply as V. When gamers discuss the immersive role-playing in Cyberpunk 2077, Cyberpunk 2077 V is the name that defines that personal journey. More than just a pre-written hero, V is a canvas, a reflection of the player's choices, ambitions, and struggles in a city that promises everything but often delivers a bullet instead.

More Than Just an Avatar: Crafting Your V

Before you even take your first step in Night City, you decide who V is. The character customization system is incredibly detailed, allowing you to shape everything from V's physical appearance and gender identity to their voice. This initial creation process is your first major choice in the game and immediately establishes a personal connection. Are you a battle-hardened merc with scars to prove it, or a sleek operative who prefers to blend in? The choice is entirely yours, setting the stage for the unique story you're about to live.

Your Origin Story: The Three Lifepaths

One of the most defining choices you'll make is V's Lifepath. This background determines V's origins, their starting location in the world, and unique dialogue options that persist throughout the entire game. Each path offers a distinct prologue mission that introduces you to Night City from a completely different perspective.

• Nomad: You start in the desolate Badlands outside the city as a former member of a nomad clan. Having left your family, you take on a smuggling job with a charming merc named Jackie Welles to get your foot in the door of Night City. This path gives V an outsider's perspective and expertise with vehicles.

• Streetkid: You're a true child of Night City, raised in the rough-and-tumble district of Heywood. After a stint away, you're back and trying to make a name for yourself. Your journey begins with a car theft gone wrong, leading to an unlikely partnership with Jackie and a harsh introduction to the city's unforgiving nature.

• Corpo: You begin life as an agent in the counterintelligence division of the monolithic Arasaka Corporation. Your world is one of sleek offices, backstabbing politics, and ruthless ambition. When your boss orders you to take out a rival, you're quickly betrayed and stripped of everything, forcing you into the mercenary life you once looked down upon.

A Legend in the Making: The Heist and its Aftermath

Regardless of your origins, all paths converge as V and their best friend, Jackie Welles, decide to take on a major league heist. Their target: a one-of-a-kind biochip known as the Relic, located in the penthouse of the city's most luxurious hotel. The job is orchestrated by the legendary fixer Dexter DeShawn and seems like the one score that will set them up for life. What could possibly go wrong?

As you might expect, the heist goes disastrously sideways. V and Jackie become unwilling witnesses to the murder of the head of the Arasaka Corporation by his own son, Yorinobu. During a frantic escape, the Relic's container is damaged, forcing Jackie to slot the biochip into V's head to save it. The aftermath is brutal: Jackie succumbs to his wounds, and V is betrayed and left for dead in a landfill. But V doesn't die. The Relic, containing the digitized consciousness—the engram—of the long-dead rockstar and revolutionary Johnny Silverhand, miraculously brings V back to life. Now, V has a ticking time bomb in their head, with Johnny's personality slowly overwriting their own.

Forging a Legacy: The Fight for Survival

The central conflict of Cyberpunk 2077 becomes V's desperate search for a cure. This quest puts you in contact with a memorable cast of characters, from the skilled braindance technician Judy Álvarez to the loyal nomad Panam Palmer and the disgraced Arasaka bodyguard Goro Takemura. Each alliance you forge and every choice you make has a ripple effect, shaping your relationships and opening up different paths to a potential solution.

With the game's significant updates, including the massive 2.0 overhaul and the Phantom Liberty expansion, V's journey has become even more dynamic and engaging. The choices you make feel weightier, and the story's branching paths lead to several drastically different endings. Will V find a way to save themself, sacrifice everything for a friend, or become a true legend of Night City, no matter the cost? The final decision rests on your shoulders, making V's story a deeply personal tale of survival and identity in a world that tries to strip you of both. What will your V become? 🤔