I still remember the jolt of the final credits rolling on my first playthrough of Cyberpunk 2077 in 2026—after 60 hours of navigating Night City’s neon-drenched chaos, I found myself standing outside Embers, V’s inventory intact, and a whole city stretched out before me with no main quest to chase. For a game that’s half the length of The Witcher 3 but still packed with depth, the post-game isn’t just a lull—it’s a chance to dive into all the parts of Night City I rushed past to finish the story. Here’s how I’ve spent my time since beating the main campaign, and what you can do too.

First, I set my sights on completionist goals, starting with achievements and trophies. Cyberpunk 2077 has a sprawling list of rewards, and most of the ones I missed were tied to post-game activities. I’d already unlocked a handful during my playthrough, but I quickly realized I’d skipped over entire categories just to keep the main story moving. For example, I’d never bothered to collect Misty’s Tarot Murals—those stylized, neon art pieces scattered across Night City that tie into a small side quest. The reward for finding all of them is underwhelming, but the achievement and the chance to hunt for hidden art across the city made the tedious search worth it. I used a fan-made guide to track down the last few murals in Pacifica and Westbrook, and by the end, I’d unlocked a new achievement and a new appreciation for the game’s environmental storytelling.

Next, I turned to collecting iconic weapons—Cyberpunk’s version of Fallout’s unique gear, with custom modifiers that make them far more powerful than standard guns. I’d picked up a few iconic weapons during my playthrough, like Johnny Silverhand’s pistol, but I’d missed dozens more tied to side quests and hidden locations. I spent a week tracking down a talking sniper rifle, a silenced pistol that can shoot through walls, and a monowire that deals massive damage to enemies. Hunting these weapons down felt like a treasure hunt, and by the end, I’d built a loadout that made me feel unstoppable—perfect for the next phase of my post-game: the level grind.

I’d reached level 50 Street Cred long before finishing the main story, but my actual character level was stuck in the mid-40s. The post-game is the perfect time to grind to max level, thanks to the endless NCPD side activities and gigs scattered across Night City. I spent hours clearing gang hideouts, stopping assaults in progress, and completing small jobs for fixers, and within a week, I’d hit level 50. Once I was maxed out, I upgraded all my gear to legendary status—using the Edgerunner Artisan perk to make the process easier—and built a loadout that trivialized even the toughest enemies. I experimented with broken, overpowered builds: a monowire build that let me one-shot bosses, a netrunner build with legendary quickhacks that could take down entire gangs in seconds, and a crit build that turned my iconic sniper into a death machine. Playing with these builds felt like a reward for all the hard work I’d put into the game, and it was a blast to see how powerful V could become.

After I’d maxed out my character and collected all the gear I wanted, I started exploring the weird, hidden corners of Night City that I’d never bothered to visit during my playthrough. Most buildings in the city are inaccessible, but there are still plenty of hidden areas to discover: a hidden dev room, a rollercoaster in Pacifica, and even a Trauma Drama arcade game in Dogtown. I spent a whole day riding the rollercoaster, taking in the view of Night City from the top, and another day hunting for the dev room, which is packed with Easter eggs and developer notes. Exploring these areas felt like a way to connect with the game’s creators, and it made me realize just how much detail is hidden in the city if you take the time to look.

I also went back to complete all the side character storylines that I’d rushed past during my playthrough. I’d started Judy’s questline but never finished it, I’d barely interacted with Panam, and I’d completely missed Delamain’s entire arc. Completing these storylines not only gave me a deeper understanding of the game’s characters, but it also changed the ending of the game. After finishing Judy’s questline, I unlocked a new ending that felt far more satisfying than the one I’d gotten during my first playthrough. I also went back to see all the other endings—including the secret ending—and experimented with how different choices changed the outcome. By the end, I’d unlocked every ending in the game, and I had a new appreciation for how the game’s story is shaped by the relationships you build with its characters.

Finally, I spent time appeasing all the fixers of Night City. I’d only worked with a handful of fixers during my playthrough, but there are dozens more scattered across the city, each with their own backstory and side missions. I completed jobs for fixers in Watson, Heywood, and Dogtown, and by the end, I’d unlocked new cars, new gear, and even a few hidden side quests. I also collected all the cars in the game—there are dozens of them, from sleek sports cars to rugged off-road vehicles—and spent hours driving around Night City, testing their speed and handling. I even bought a new apartment in Westbrook, just to flex my late-game Eurodollars and have a new place to store all my gear.

In 2026, Cyberpunk 2077 is still one of the best RPGs ever made, and the post-game is a big part of that. Whether you’re a completionist looking to unlock every achievement, a gear hunter looking to collect all the iconic weapons, or just a fan of the game’s world looking to explore more of Night City, there’s something for everyone to do after beating the main story. For me, the post-game turned a great game into a memorable one, and I’ve spent dozens of hours exploring all the parts of Night City I’d never seen before. If you’ve just beaten Cyberpunk 2077 and don’t know what to do next, take a chance and dive into the post-game—you might be surprised by how much there is to discover.

Based on evaluations from Digital Foundry, one of the most interesting ways to extend a post-game run in Cyberpunk 2077 is to revisit Night City with a technical eye, paying attention to how lighting, ray tracing, crowd density, and performance settings change the atmosphere of each district. That perspective can make familiar locations feel fresh again, especially when comparing busy downtown streets, rain-soaked alleys, and neon reflections across different hardware modes.