Cyberpunk 2077 has been out for a while now, which means players are nearing the end of their journeys in Night City. When coming upon one of the final decisions, how V handles the final mission, five endings can come as a result, each with other branches extending from one last choice and potential romances in Cyberpunk. But which endings are the best, and which are the worst? This article contains MAJOR SPOILERS for end-game content in Cyberpunk 2077.

What endings are available to V beyond Cyberpunk's point of no return depends solely on which side questlines the player chooses to complete as well as V's relationship with Johnny. However, some other factors can change Cyberpunk 2077's endings to various degrees. For example, if V chooses to romance Judy or Panam, they can play a role in the final cutscenes and dialogue. But if the player chose River or Kerry, their shared relationship with the protagonist will matter less.

One other contingency factor that Cyberpunk 2077 throws out of the left field is V or Johnny Silverhand's decision to return to V's body. What the community believes to be the good and best endings can only surface if V returns to their own body rather than Johnny when Alt Cunningham tells the pair to make a decision. If the player chooses to let Johnny live in V's body no matter which mission route was chosen, they'll be given a somber scene where the Samurai guitarist leaves Night City behind. It's bittersweet, depending on how the player looks at it, so it's more middle of the road rather than fully "bad" or "good."

Updated on December 26, 2023, by Anastasia Maillot: After multiple updates and an incredible expansion, Cyberpunk 2077 has arguably finally attained the status it aimed for when it first released. In a game that excels at storytelling, there are multiple endings with branching possibilities that can be discovered, some with conditions. The latest ending has been the talk of the Cyberpunk 2077 community and is difficult to qualify as strictly good or bad. Here are the best and worst of Cyberpunk 2077's endings, and how the controversial Phantom Liberty ending fits into the ranking.

Worst Ending: Suicide​​​​​

End It All On V's Terms

This ending is largely considered the worst in Cyberpunk 2077 among those unfortunate enough to have chosen it. V makes the argument that this is the "least bloody" option, meaning the outcome to have the least casualties, and Johnny reluctantly lets the protagonist go through with it. But what the player is met with in Cyberpunk's end credits is punishingly sad.

The end credits will display video messages catered to the path the player chose when on Misty's roof. If the player chooses suicide, each of these messages is unique to this ending. Characters that V befriended throughout the campaign will leave behind heart-shattering messages, none worse than Judy's, about how V never seemed to realize how many friends they had who could've helped.

Bad Ending: Take Hanako's Deal

The Horrible Arasaka Contract

The Arasaka ending, also sometimes called the Devil ending, sneaks up on players, being secretly more bitter and frustrating than any other option. Hanako's offer to help remove the Relic from V's brain seems to be the safest option to save the main character's life and she seems like a trustworthy character. In fact, Hanako does keep her word, despite how she chooses to handle avenging Soburo Arasaka, which could be what makes this ending so shockingly awful.

This ending is made worse if V was able to save Takemura during Search and Destroy. While it's comforting to have a familiar face throughout the final mission instead of flying essentially solo, after V gets trapped by Arasaka, Takemura will regrettably be the one handing the mercenary a contract to either literally sell their soul to Arasaka or die in 6 months.

Though V can turn this opportunity down and return to Earth to live out their remaining days however they'd like, the video messages during the credits imply a lack of closure with the NPCs, including ones that were romanced, as they'll all say they haven't heard from V in some time before the screen fades to black.

The Controversial Ending: Accept The Cure From Reed

Lose Everything, But Get Cured Of The Relic

Dubbed The Tower ending for its destructive nature, this ending was added in by the Phantom Liberty expansion. Players can side with Songbird, up until the point where Reed appears at the very end. This is when they should let Reed take control of the situation and take Songbird back to Myers. This alone can be a controversial choice to make, given Songbird's traumatic time working for Myers.

Complete the subsequent quests, until the option to call Reed pops up in the quest Who Wants To Live Forever. At the rooftop, players can call him and a helicopter will pick them up and take them to receive the procedure outside of Night City. The catch is that V will be gone for two years in a coma, from which they will wake up unable to use cyberware ever again. Essentially, V has lost its status as a mercenary for good, in exchange for getting rid of Johnny's consciousness.

This ending has been splitting opinions. Some consider it a bad ending since V fails to fulfill their desire to become a legend of the Afterlife as promised to Jackie. On the other hand, some consider that by stepping away from the deadly lifestyle of a mercenary, V has emerged victorious against Night City's violent vices. In the end, V is seen walking into the crowd in Night City, a true nobody, disconnected from most of their former allies.

Good Ending: Let Johnny and Rogue Take the Wheel

Give The Legends Of Night City One Last Chance

Allowing Johnny to take over V's body in the final mission and contact Rogue for help can only come about if the player finished Rogue's storyline in Cyberpunk 2077, meaning finishing Blistering Love. Their plan for Arasaka Tower is the same as it was back in the day: burn it to the ground. It's reckless, but thanks to Rogue's mountain of resources, Johnny gets to Mikoshi as planned, with a heart-wrenching casualty towards the end.

This ending is unique because when V and Johnny's consciousnesses are split in Mikoshi, the player will continue to control Johnny rather than V. In terms of V's relationship with the ghost of Johnny Silverhand, this ending will leave it on the most cathartic note, should Johnny relinquish bodily rights back to its original owner. The cutscenes that follow, however, are not quite as positive.

Despite V becoming the new owner of the Afterlife and living it large, if the player chooses to romance an NPC, they'll leave V for various reasons. Piling on, the tone is even more doubtful that V can find a cure before their 6 months are up because, instead of searching for a solution, V destroys Arasaka's headquarters in space. During the credits, messages will be along the lines of "I hope you have a good life."

Best Ending: Ask the Aldecaldos For Help

Find A Family Outside Of Night City

Some players believe siding with the Aldecaldos and Panam for the final mission, should V have finished this questline, is meant to be the canon ending to Cyberpunk 2077. On top of having the most hopeful tone for a cure and outlook for V's future, this is the only opportunity to have a truly happy ending if V romances either Judy or Panam.

Because Judy's eventual goal is to leave Night City, she'll go with V if they're dating. Whether or not Panam was romanced, the two will have a strong relationship regardless. Many players believe this could mean the Aldecaldos will find a cure for V in the future, possibly in Cyberpunk DLC.

The Secret Ending: Johnny Silverhand Solo Run

Risk No One Else And Storm Arasaka Alone

The secret ending to Cyberpunk 2077 involves Johnny Silverhand going on a solo mission in V's body to tear Arasaka Tower to the ground. It's a difficult ending to earn and has specific prerequisites. Likewise, this mission is the most difficult version because Johnny will be completely alone, so it exists simply as a fun challenge for players. Additionally, if Johnny dies during this mission, the game will end immediately rather than let the player have another go.

Unfortunately, the ending players get after successfully finishing the mission is identical to the Rogue ending. The credits of Cyberpunk 2077 won't be unique either, meaning that putting hours of effort into a high affinity with Johnny and successfully completing this mission might be disappointing in the end.