V isn't a hot commodity in Night City's dating market. With a population in the millions, V only has five potential romance options in Cyberpunk 2077 and one of them is a one-time-only fling. This is further limited by male and female body type and voice selections, so each playthrough has only one or two choices. Even those require careful dialogue choices, so it's more than possible for V to finish the game without ever finding romance.
There are some very qualified people in Night City as well, so it's really a shame that V can't be more flirtatious. Eligible bachelors and bachelorettes frequently cross paths with V in meaningful ways, but, like two ships in the night, somehow nothing comes of it. There are millions of missed opportunities, but there is a handful of selections that are so glaring fans can't help but wonder what might have been.
Warning: No end game spoilers are revealed, but some twists and turns will have to be discussed.
10 Claire Russell
No matter how players try to make the perfect V in the hit-and-miss character creator, Claire will remain professional as a bartender and as a friend. She shares some of the big moments in her life history and in the game during some of the more genuine conversational moments.
But it's just never meant to be. She's found love once in her life, but it seems a second time around isn't in the cards for Claire. Maybe the developers should think about how much a special relationship like this would mean to both V and herself.
9 Saul Bright
While nomadic leader Panam is a romance option for select V characters, Saul somehow doesn't make the cut. V can use a partner in crime while completing all of the thievery gigs, but Saul is stuck out in the desert.
It's infuriating because Panam and Saul disagree quite often, with the latter being correct about many of these paths forward. Taking his side is futile, no romance blossoms and Panam overrides any decisions that would favor him.
8 Evelyn Parker
One of the most heartbreaking moments in the game comes when finishing the Both Sides, Now questline. In an unpreventable and shocking moment, Judy walks in on the dead body of Evelyn, who has taken her own life.
Evelyn has been tortured and no one can hold her actions against her. Her mind has been ravaged by braindances to the point where it left her body weak. V developing feelings for her and taking care of her throughout this recovery is a missed opportunity.
7 Jackie Welles
Jackie is ripped away from V too soon. At a practical level, it would have been nice to have him around to travel through Night City's underbelly and hunt down every cyberpsycho in the game. But this only scratches the surface of what might have been.
At an emotional level, V and Jackie are bound through a friendship that was forged in business. It progresses into an intimate understanding of each other, even going so far as to meet Jackie's family. Sadly, it tragically stops before a true romance can blossom.
6 Rogue Amendiares
None of the endings, good or bad, are possible without the help of Rogue, an ex-associate of Johnny Silverhand's who has turned into a fixer and runs operations out of Lizzie's Bar. She goes above and beyond in giving V leads on a time crunch.
As a first impression, the lighting makes Rogue's hair look grey and she wears an unappealing yellow jacket. Later on, V gets to see her beautiful hair color and an outfit that is rather sexy. Unfortunately, Rogue is apparently too busy with the inner workings of the city to make personal time for V.
5 Viktor Vector
V is left without any friends after only a few hours into the main quest. The closest person in V's life is Viktor, a ripperdoc who gives V free implants and surgery with an understanding that it might be impossible to pay him back.
Viktor saves V's life later on in the story, making it two debts that the protagonist owes him. Viktor is smart, talented, handsome, and funny. Even without the life-saving parts of the narrative, V is a downright fool to never explore what could be with the doctor.
4 Alt Cunningham
V gets to see some of the more horrifying things in Night City, especially when checking off the Sinnerman questline, but one of the unexpected beauties is being close to Johnny's former girlfriend Alt.
Now, Johnny can potentially use V's body to have a sexual encounter with her, but her connection to Johnny is still filled with hostility. It would be interesting to see this become a romance for V, they'd make a better couple and she's already proved to be into V's body.
3 Goro Takemura
When discussing the merits of Final Fantasy VII: Remake and Cyberpunk 2077 as futuristic RPGs, one might look at the way technology is used in both games. It's a part of life in both and, with Goro in the latter game, it might be over half of his body.
Goro saves V's life even with an incentive to let the protagonist die. He's a loyal man who is very driven. When V gets bad news about his degeneration, it's Goro who encourages V to not give up. He's brilliant and brave, just the kind of person V needs.
2 Misty Olszewski
There is a lot to Misty that remains a mystery in a very literal sense. She covers her face and ears with her hair and hides her body with a large purple sweater. But this mystery is quite alluring and the more V peeks behind the curtain, the more there is to love.
Misty is soulful and selfless. Though one of her best friends dies, she thinks first of how it might be affecting V. She is spiritual and accurately predicts the future with her tarot cards, both of which are qualities that V could use in a partner.
1 Johnny Silverhand
The player is at odds with Johnny so quickly that the slow progress into a pseudo-friendship seems like a monumental achievement. That being said, the game ends before it might be able to become something more.
It's understood that Johnny is a virtual construct, but there are worse relationships to be in than one with an imaginary rockstar anarchist. If V is going to be with Johnny no matter what, then why was this avenue not explored more deeply at some point?