Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty Data Shard Reveals Death Of A Major Character From The Witcher

Cyberpunk 2077‘s DLC, Phantom Liberty, is an essential add-on for any fan of the base game. While the unpredictable spy-thriller story is among the best to be developed by CD Projekt RED, Phantom Liberty pays homage to a number of CD Projekt RED’s previous games and most popular franchises – none more so than their critically and commercially revered series based on Andrzej Sapkowski’s fantasy series of book, The Witcher series. One particularly well-hidden reference, made in Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, to a notable character from The Witcher franchise will undeniably be very bittersweet for long-time The Witcher fans.

[Warning: The following article contains spoilers for Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty]

As with many of CD Projekt RED’s past games, Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty has concealed within its fantastic and deeply immersive world a number of incredible Easter eggs, hidden details, and subtle pop-culture references. While a number of these Easter eggs are specific references to movies, TV shows, and books that have little or nothing to do with CD Projekt RED, many of the best-hidden details in Night City and Dogtown are subtle nods to their catalog of past projects – most notably The Witcher. While the developers managed to sneak in the game’s iconic theme, as well as the protagonist’s sword, the most touching tribute is far more somber.

A Relic From A Bygone Era

Who Is Yennefer?

Originating in The Witcher series of books, Yennefer was a sorceress from the city of Aedirn. The soul mate of the franchise’s protagonist, Geralt of Rivia, Yennefer is an important figure throughout the mainline games; however, she does not appear in the first game and only features in flashbacks until The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Yennefer has become a fan-favorite character and has occupied a place as one of the most significant female figures in the games, books, and TV show. When last seen in a video game, Yennefer is alive and well, but attentive players of Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty have discovered a reference to her ultimate fate.

Though the Phantom Liberty Easter Egg reference to Yennefer is brief and easy to miss, fans of CD Projekt RED’s biggest franchise, The Witcher, will be deeply moved by the bittersweet contents of a very well-hidden Datashard that can be found in Cyberpunk 2077‘s DLC, Phantom Liberty. Only locatable in Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty during the final main job in Song So Mi’s (Songbird) path, “The Killing Moon,” this touching Easter Egg has two parts.

A Deeply Moving Last Wish

Yennefer Is Dead

Though it is no surprise that Yennefer, a character born in 1173, is dead by the time Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty takes place, it is, nevertheless, somewhat upsetting to think that such a beloved and vivacious figure in The Witcher will eventually meet her end. The apparent confirmation of her death can be found in a Datashard titled “The Last Wish” – undoubtedly a clever reference to the title of Andrzej Sapkowski’s third short story collection in The Witcher series, The Last Wish. “The Last Wish” Datashard can be found during “The Killing Moon” main job if the player is willing to explore hostile areas that are off the beaten path.

The Datashard is located far from the mission’s objectives, so locating it can be difficult. V will have reached their destination when they go down a set of stairs and enter into a small room crowded with cardboard boxes. Among these boxes can be found the Datashard “Last Wish.” Though it is not directly addressed to anyone, the contents of the note are quite obviously a reference to the conclusion of Yennefer’s personal quest, also titled “The Last Wish,” in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, during which she and Geralt have the option to profess their love for one another – as poignantly referenced in the Datashard’s first line of text.

After this affectionate reference, the datashard takes a sad turn as it is revealed that Yennefer’s time has come, and she has passed away. The note concealed within the datashard concludes with her final wish, for her ashes to be scattered from the highest peak on the moon – the romantic intention of this last request being that whenever Geralt looks up at the stars he will think of her. The datashard’s text concludes with the simple signature – Y. Though nothing in the datashard overtly names her or Geralt, fans of The Witcher will immediately recognize the subtext and will appreciate the authorship and intended recipient of this enormously emotive note.

Granting Yennefer’s Final Wish

An Urn Among The Luggage

Though no explanation is afforded as to how a several hundred-year-old love note has ended up on a Datashard, let alone how the contents of the note have made it onto the spaceport, the Yennefer-related Easter Eggs do not stop there. There is one more hidden detail that speaks to someone’s intention of carrying out this final wish. Close by the Datashard, in the same room, V can clearly see a small porcelain urn decorated with flowers and gilt accents that may or may not contain the cremated remains of Yennefer. Though stored in a cardboard box in between various books, the ornate white pot is quite unambiguously an urn.

The preservation of Yennefer’s ashes within this urn, if, in fact, it does contain her remains, engenders numerous questions regarding whose luggage this is, with the notion that it could be Geralt’s. If so, he would be over 600 years old, an unlikely feat even for such an incredibly powerful man; however, Saburo Arasaka was 158 at the time of his murder, so perhaps Geralt could still be alive and well in 2077. Irrespective of this detail, CD Projekt RED’s inclusion of an Easter Egg paying homage to one of the most important characters from The Witcher series is deeply moving, even if this Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty Datashard leaves us a little sad.