Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition Nintendo Switch 2 Release Date – Night City Goes Portable
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TL;DR: Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition launches alongside Nintendo Switch 2 on June 5, 2025, priced at $69.99 and featuring the complete base game plus Phantom Liberty expansion on a 64GB cartridge. This marks the first time CD Projekt Red’s acclaimed RPG will be playable on a Nintendo console.
The impossible has become reality. CD Projekt Red has revealed today that it is bringing its best-selling action-adventure RPG Cyberpunk 2077 to the Nintendo Switch 2, delivering what many considered technically unfeasible just years ago. The Ultimate Edition represents a complete package optimized specifically for Nintendo’s new hybrid console, offering players their first chance to explore Night City on a portable device.
What Is Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition?
This comprehensive package includes the base game, the Phantom Liberty expansion, and all updates to date, offering an immersive experience in the dystopian world of Night City. The Ultimate Edition serves as the definitive version of CD Projekt Red’s ambitious open-world RPG, bundling everything players need for the complete cyberpunk experience.
The inclusion of Phantom Liberty is particularly significant, as this expansion was gifted with an excellent reception in 2023 and has since sold over 8 million units. Players will experience both V’s original journey through Night City and the spy-thriller adventure in the deadly district of Dogtown without any additional purchases required.
For newcomers to the franchise, Cyberpunk 2077 places players in the role of V, a cyberpunk mercenary navigating the neon-soaked streets of Night City. The game blends first-person shooting, RPG progression, and narrative choices in a world obsessed with power, glamour, and body modification.
Release Date and Launch Details
Cyberpunk 2077 launches on Nintendo Switch 2 on June 5th, the same day the console launches in most of the world. This simultaneous release positions the game as a major launch title for Nintendo’s new hardware, demonstrating the system’s capability to handle demanding AAA experiences.
The timing represents a strategic move by both CD Projekt Red and Nintendo. For CD Projekt Red, it provides immediate access to Nintendo’s massive install base from day one. For Nintendo, having such a high-profile third-party title at launch signals the Switch 2’s ability to attract major publishers who previously avoided Nintendo platforms due to hardware limitations.
Nintendo Switch 2 will be released on June 5, 2025, at a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $450, making Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition available immediately to early adopters willing to invest in the new ecosystem.
Pricing and Physical Release Details
The game is priced at £59.99 in the UK and $69.99 in the US. It will be available both physically and digitally. This premium pricing reflects both the comprehensive content included and the technical achievement of bringing such a demanding game to portable hardware.
Crucially, the physical release of Cyberpunk 2077 Ultimate Edition won’t require an additional download to run, as the entire game will be included in the cart. CD Projekt Red has confirmed the game will ship on a 64 GB cart that includes both the base game and the Phantom Liberty expansion, so no additional download will be required to run the game.
This represents a significant advantage over many Switch 2 third-party releases, which will utilize “Game-Key Cards” that simply unlock digital downloads rather than containing the actual game data. It is also an exception to the Switch 2’s “Game-Key Cards,” which have disappointed many users for not including the actual game and instead acting as a key to unlock a digital download.
The complete-on-cart approach is particularly impressive considering Cyberpunk 2077 takes up 70GB on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox, reaching nearly 100GB with Phantom Liberty. The compression and optimization required to fit this content onto a 64GB cartridge while maintaining quality represents substantial technical achievement.
Technical Performance and Visual Quality
Early hands-on impressions suggest Nintendo Switch 2 delivers surprisingly solid performance for such a demanding title. From my admittedly brief experience, Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition seems to play pretty well on the Nintendo Switch 2, according to preview coverage from gaming press events.
Performance specifications have been partially revealed through industry reporting. Jason Schreier confirms that the game runs at 40 FPS in performance mode when docked on the Nintendo Switch 2. According to official information, the game will support Full HD resolution at 30-40 FPS when docked, while in handheld mode, it will run at 720p with the same frame rate.
Visual comparisons have emerged that position the Switch 2 version favorably against other portable gaming devices. New Cyberpunk 2077 footage shared online highlights how the demanding game will look and run better on Nintendo Switch 2 than Steam Deck, suggesting Nintendo’s optimization efforts and DLSS integration provide meaningful advantages.
While I’m not really the guy to ask about pixels and hardware and so on, anecdotally playing Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition largely reminded me of playing on PC with somewhere between “Medium” to “High” settings, noted one hands-on preview, indicating visual quality that exceeds many expectations for portable hardware.
Switch 2-Specific Features and Controls
The Nintendo Switch 2 version includes several platform-specific enhancements designed to take advantage of the console’s unique capabilities. Features include: Gyroscope aiming: For more intuitive shooting mechanics. Motion controls: Enhancing immersion during gameplay. Touchscreen support: Facilitating menu navigation and interactions. Mouse input compatibility: Offering alternative control schemes.
The game has been “optimised for every mode of play,” which includes motion controls during combat, Gyroscope Mode for pinpoint precision, the option to tap, swipe, or pinch through menus or inventories, or to use the Joy-Con 2 (R) as a mouse control.
These control enhancements represent more than simple additions – they demonstrate CD Projekt Red’s commitment to creating a version specifically designed for Nintendo’s ecosystem rather than delivering a basic port. The gyroscope aiming, in particular, could provide precision advantages in combat scenarios where traditional analog sticks might feel limiting.
Additional features include cross-save functionality, allowing players to switch between platforms seamlessly, enabling continuity for players who own the game on multiple systems.
Industry Impact and Market Positioning
The arrival of Cyberpunk 2077 on Nintendo Switch 2 represents more than just another port – it signals a fundamental shift in how major publishers view Nintendo’s hardware capabilities. This represents a massive statement of intent from Nintendo – a signal that it’s ready to court some of the biggest third-party releases in the industry, and that the Switch 2 is more than ready to handle them.
Originally released in 2020, Cyberpunk 2077 is based on the tabletop board game created by Mike Pondsmith. It initially received a rather frosty reception but has since become one of CD Projekt Red’s most acclaimed releases. As of November 2024, it was confirmed to have sold 30 million copies.
The game’s troubled launch history makes its Switch 2 debut particularly significant. Notoriously, Cyberpunk 2077 looked so bad on PlayStation when it launched back in 2020 that Sony took the unprecedented step of completely removing it from their store until it was better optimized. The fact that CD Projekt Red now feels confident bringing the game to Nintendo’s portable hardware demonstrates both the improvements made to the game and the capabilities of the Switch 2.
Cyberpunk 2077 is a rags-to-riches story like no other. When it debuted in 2020, it was a shambolic title that left people bewildered. Today, it’s considered one of the best open-world RPG titles ever made.
Pre-Order Availability and Bundles
Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders have created significant market demand, with The Game Collection having two stacked Switch 2 pre-order bundles: one with the base console, the other with Mario Kart World pre-installed. Both include Cyberpunk 2077 Ultimate, Hitman World of Assassination, a microSD card, and the Switch 2 camera.
These bundling strategies indicate retailer confidence in Cyberpunk 2077’s appeal as a system-selling software title. The inclusion of the game in premium bundles alongside Nintendo’s flagship Mario Kart World demonstrates third-party software achieving equivalent marketing positioning to first-party exclusives.
Competitive Analysis and Platform Comparison
The portable gaming landscape has evolved significantly since Cyberpunk 2077’s original release, with devices like Steam Deck establishing expectations for AAA gaming on handheld hardware. If the Switch 2’s price were much lower, I’d be far more impressed with Cyberpunk 2077’s performance, but tariffs or not, that’s not the case, notes industry analysis comparing the Switch 2’s $450 price point to other portable gaming devices.
DLSS seems to be the one factor that will do the heavy lifting with the Switch 2, and I’d argue it’s the one reason why its version of Cyberpunk 2077 can be compared to other handhelds using either XeSS or FSR (neither of which are on the level of Nvidia’s DLSS).
The integration of DLSS technology represents a significant competitive advantage for Nintendo Switch 2, potentially delivering visual quality and performance that exceeds what raw hardware specifications might suggest. This technological partnership with Nvidia provides Nintendo with upscaling capabilities that competing portable devices cannot match.
Future Implications and Content Strategy
No, Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition is not planned for release on the original Nintendo Switch. The game’s technical demands exceed the capabilities of the first-generation Switch hardware. The Switch 2’s upgraded specifications are essential to deliver the intended performance and visual fidelity.
This exclusivity to Switch 2 hardware establishes the game as a showcase for the new console’s capabilities while providing clear differentiation from the original Switch. For CD Projekt Red, this represents an opportunity to reach Nintendo’s audience for the first time, potentially expanding the game’s total addressable market significantly.
The success of Cyberpunk 2077 on Switch 2 could influence future porting decisions across the industry, potentially encouraging other publishers to bring their AAA titles to Nintendo’s platform. Nintendo’s new console is expected to get lots of ports of recent and last-gen blockbusters, like Elden Ring, suggesting a broader trend toward Nintendo hardware receiving parity treatment with other gaming platforms.
Bottom Line
Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition for Nintendo Switch 2 represents a watershed moment for both CD Projekt Red and Nintendo. The June 5, 2025 launch date aligns perfectly with the Switch 2’s debut, providing immediate access to one of the generation’s most acclaimed RPGs in portable form. At $69.99 with complete content on cartridge, the package offers substantial value for players seeking the full Night City experience on Nintendo’s new hardware.
The technical achievement of bringing such a demanding game to portable hardware, combined with Switch 2-specific enhancements and solid performance metrics, positions this as potentially the definitive portable version of Cyberpunk 2077. For Nintendo, securing day-one availability of such a high-profile third-party title signals the Switch 2’s ability to compete directly with traditional gaming platforms for major releases.
Key Takeaways:
- Launches June 5, 2025 alongside Nintendo Switch 2
- $69.99 price includes base game and Phantom Liberty expansion
- Complete game on 64GB cartridge with no downloads required
- 30-40 FPS performance with 1080p docked, 720p handheld
- Platform-specific features including gyroscope aiming and mouse controls
- Represents major third-party commitment to Switch 2 ecosystem
Players who have been waiting to experience Night City or those looking to revisit V’s story in portable form will find Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition positioned as a compelling reason to invest in Nintendo’s next-generation hardware from launch day.
