Cyberpunk 2077 New-Gen Update Now Live, Includes AI And Driving Overhauls, New Weapons, Better Crowds, And More

Platform: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Stadia, PC
Publisher: CD Projekt
Developer: CD Projekt Red
Release: December 10, 2020 (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Stadia), February 15, 2022 (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S)
Rating: Mature

If you were waiting to play CD Projekt Red’s latest RPG, 2020’s Cyberpunk 2077, on new-gen consoles, now is your time because Patch 1.5 is the game’s new-gen update, and it’s out now on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. 

As expected, this patch brings a wealth of changes to the game’s systems and gameplay, including AI overhauls, big changes to driving, new apartments to rent, changes to the open-world map, and of course, different modes to experience Cyberpunk 2077. In terms of modes, you can expect a Performance mode on PS5 and Xbox Series X that runs the game at 60FPS with a 4K resolution that features dynamic framerate-dependent scaling. CD Projekt Red says in Performance mode, players may experience small and rare framerate drops. The screen-space reflections (SSR) quality in this mode is “Medium/Half Resolution,” and there will be no ray-tracing. 

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If you’re looking for a ray-traced Night City on new-gen consoles, you’ll need to play in the Ray-Tracing mode. This mode runs the game at 30FPS with a scaling 4K resolution, ray-traced local shadows, and “High/Half Resolution” SSR quality. On the Xbox Series S, you’ll only have the Performance mode at your disposal, which will run the game at 30FPS with a 1440p resolution and “Medium/Half Resolution” SSR Quality. 

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On the changes, fixes, improvements, and bug squashing side of things, there are hundreds of improvements in Patch 1.5. For a full breakdown, you can read CD Projekt’s Red full patch notes list, but here’s the gist: 

Here are some of the major talking points discussed during today’s Cyberpunk 2077 stream: 

• Completely reworked perk trees: All of your perks will be unassigned if you pick up on an old save, and you’ll need to reassign them all due to how drastically the perk tree system has been changed. You’ll find new branches, the removal of some perks, and the addition of new ones. 
• Combat changes to AI: AI enemies react better to player reactions. Combat is more fluid, too. 
• Driving: Reworked burnout models have been implemented, there’s more control while driving, and AI driving is more predictable. Vehicles feel heavier, too, plus braking is better. Drifting is more realistic, and the suspension feels better in all vehicles. First-person dashboards and interiors have been reworked as well. 
• Night City: CD Projekt Red says it’s more alive, and crowds react better to your actions. Crowd members will start shooting at you based on what you do, or they might run away. 
• Traffic: Drivers drive more realistically, and there are more pedestrians during the day. 
• Map: Gigs do not reveal their type, and additional colors have been added to the map to make it easier to read. 
• Economy: You’ll receive more cash for completing quests and gigs, and items and vehicles aren’t as expensive to purchase. Stores have been revamped with new items, sales, and new aesthetics for weapons. 
• Home: You can now change your appearance mid-game in the mirror of your apartment. Additional appearance options include new types of hair, extra hair colors, more makeup options, and new colors for makeup. 
• EZ Estates: This is a new app on your computer, and with it, you can change your apartment’s aesthetic, and you can find new apartments to rent. 

Of course, there are dozens upon dozens of other changes and fixes now live with Patch 1.5, so be sure to head to CD Projekt Red’s full patch notes list for more information. Check out Game Informer’s PC Cyberpunk 2077 review after that, and then read our thoughts on the last-gen version of Cyberpunk 2077. 

Are you excited to jump back into Night City on new-gen consoles? Let us know in the comments below!