The first and only major expansion for Cyberpunk 2077 is on the horizon, and fans are more than a little hyped for Phantom Liberty's release. Building on the much-improved foundations of Cyberpunk 2077, Phantom Liberty is a spy-thriller DLC that will see protagonist V "take on an impossible mission of espionage and survival" with new characters, locations, and storylines. Although many of the elements of the DLC will already be familiar to players, there are some aspects that still remain a mystery.
When the first trailer dropped for Phantom Liberty, gamers were surprised to see Idris Elba join the cast of the epic sci-fi shooter as FIA Agent Solomon Reed. While much of the plot of Cyberpunk 2077's upcoming narrative expansion remains shrouded in mystery, players were also left with some questions about details that were revealed. How V will fit into this new world of spies and undercover operations is yet to be seen, and fans are also still in the dark with regard to the FIA and its purposes, goals, and intentions for Night City.
Cyberpunk 2077's FIA
Cyberpunk 2077 is full of corporations, gangs, and different groups that help to make up Night City's troublesome population and the fractured world beyond. While the FIA is a relative newcomer to the lore of Cyberpunk 2077, fans that have done more of a deep dive into the game might have already been familiar with it before it featured in the promotional material for Phantom Liberty.
The government agency was referenced in 2AM - She Calls, which was an exclusive short story available with the Steam version of Cyberpunk 2077. Although not a prominent part of the plot, the FIA was mentioned due to its rumored mission to recruit allies in Night City as early as 2071 and strengthen its political position on the hotly contested streets.
The FIA is theorized to be an answer to the CIA, DEA, FBI, and NSA—otherwise known as Cyberpunk 2077's Gang of Four—which caused the formation of the New United States of America after a significant coup that overturned the country a few decades earlier. With Solomon Reed identified as an FIA agent in the trailer for Phantom Liberty, players know that this shady agency will have a prominent part to play in the upcoming DLC.
The FIA in Cyberpunk 2077's Phantom Liberty DLC
When it comes to Phantom Liberty's plot, gamers are already expecting a narrative minefield of twists and turns. Thanks to the smattering of information that's been released already regarding Cyberpunk 2077's upcoming expansion and the role of the FIA in the current society, fans have been able to hazard a few guesses as to what the missions might entail and how V and FIA agent Solomon Reed could fit in.
After the Unification War ended in 2070 and the Arvin Treaty was signed to grant Night City its status as an autonomous Free State, the FIA and NUSA were supposed to leave the metropolis alone. But thanks to 2AM - She Calls, it can be assumed that the FIA has been operating in the shadows for a while and trying to cement its stake in Night City.
It's likely V will have to take sides once they're drawn into this risky game of politics and backdoor deals, and with confirmation from the trailer that NUSA President Rosalind Myers is getting involved, the stakes seem pretty high when it comes to the fate of Night City. With theories that Solomon Reed has been on a long-term undercover mission to rumors of another major conflict on the horizon, Phantom Liberty seems like it could be laying a lot on the line.
Cyberpunk 2077 is out now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. The Phantom Liberty DLC will come out this year for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.