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For a first-time viewer, watch Cyberpunk: Edgerunners first, play Cyberpunk 2077 second, add Phantom Liberty after the main game or when its in-game access becomes available, and only then explore the manga and tabletop material. Watch Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 after its announced Netflix premiere on October 20, 2026.
This order gives you the anime’s story without requiring game knowledge, then lets you recognize Night City locations, terminology and references in the game. The anime and game occupy the same universe, but the anime is not a retelling of the game’s V campaign and is not a prerequisite for playing it.
The recommended Cyberpunk: Edgerunners watch and play order
The sequence below is designed for newcomers who want the strongest story progression with the fewest avoidable spoilers. The first two entries are the core path; everything afterward is optional or a later release.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems1. Watch all 10 episodes of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
Watch the anime in its standard episode order, from episode 1 through episode 10. CD PROJEKT RED described it in its 2020 announcement as “a standalone, 10-episode story about a street kid trying to survive in a technology and body modification-obsessed city of the future.” That standalone design means you do not need to know the game’s characters, factions, systems or plot before starting.
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The series debuted on Netflix on September 13, 2022. Beginning here establishes the setting, its slang and its emotional stakes without asking you to learn a game’s controls or complete a long campaign first. It also preserves the anime’s reveals for a viewer who has not encountered the wider game world.
2. Play Cyberpunk 2077
After the anime, move to the main game. You will recognize shared Night City districts, corporations, technology and terminology, but the playable story follows V rather than retelling the anime’s narrative. The connection is a shared world and setting, not a requirement to complete one story before the other can make sense.
There is no need to replay anime scenes or search for a mandatory crossover quest. Treat references and familiar places as optional rewards for having watched the show. If you already started the game, you can finish it and then watch the anime; the game-first route is valid, but it changes which setting references feel new.
3. Add Phantom Liberty
Phantom Liberty is expansion content for Cyberpunk 2077, not a third anime chapter. The least confusing placement is after the main game’s story. If your save reaches the expansion’s in-game access point earlier, you can enter it then, but keep in mind that its plot, characters and systems are built on the game’s campaign context.
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Players who want a single continuous game experience can follow the access prompt when it appears. Players who want the clearest narrative order can complete the main campaign first, then load a suitable save for the expansion. Neither choice changes the anime’s canon.
4. Read the official Cyberpunk: Edgerunners MADNESS manga (optional)
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners MADNESS is an official printed tie-in. Place it after the anime so that its setting references are familiar and so you are not using a tie-in to substitute for the show’s complete story. It is optional: skipping it does not create a gap in the anime or the game’s main plot.
If you are reading several formats at once, finish the anime before opening the manga, then choose whether to read it before or after the game based on whether you prefer additional printed lore or interactive exploration first.
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5. Play the Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Mission Kit tabletop RPG (optional)
The physical Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Mission Kit is a tabletop continuation of the setting rather than a required sequel. Its package includes an Edgerunners Handbook, a rule book, pre-generated characters, dice, maps, standees, tokens and a full-length mission titled “The Jacket.” A group can use those components to run its own story after watching the anime.
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Read the rules and prepare the characters only if you have a group that wants a tabletop session. The kit does not replace either the anime or the video game, and its position in the order is entirely optional.
6. Watch Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 when it is available
CD PROJEKT RED’s official 2026 announcements give Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 a Netflix premiere date of October 20, 2026. The sequel series is presented as an all-new story with a fresh cast. It is a later entry in the franchise, not a prerequisite for season 1, Cyberpunk 2077 or Phantom Liberty.
On or after the announced date, check the Netflix listing in your territory for the actual local availability. If you are watching before that date, stop with the first series and the optional tie-ins; there is no earlier episode or game mission that must be completed to prepare for season 2.
How the anime and game are connected
A shared universe, not one continuous campaign
Netflix announced the anime as “a brand-new story set in the world of the highly anticipated game, Cyberpunk 2077.” Both works use Night City and the broader Cyberpunk universe, but they follow different protagonists and plotlines. The anime centers on David’s attempt to survive a city dominated by advanced technology and body modification; the game places you in control of V.
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That distinction answers the most common misconception: Edgerunners is not a prequel that explains the game’s opening, and Cyberpunk 2077 is not a sequel required to finish David’s story. Their chronology can overlap within the same fictional setting without forming a single linear storyline.
What carries across the two formats
- Night City: districts and landmarks can be recognizable in both, although the game is the interactive map and the anime is a directed television story.
- Terminology and technology: cyberware, corporations and street vocabulary establish a common cultural framework.
- References: playing after the anime can make incidental locations or allusions more meaningful, but none is required to understand the main game.
Alternative orders and their trade-offs
There is no wrong order for someone who has already begun one of the formats. The table shows what changes when you choose a different starting point.
| Order | Spoiler exposure | Prerequisite knowledge | Anime emotional impact | Time commitment | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anime → game → expansion | Lowest risk of game systems or side content distracting from the anime’s reveals | None before episode 1 | Highest for a newcomer because the anime supplies the first personal stakes | Starts with 10 episodes, then a long interactive campaign and expansion | Most first-time viewers |
| Game → anime → expansion | You may recognize setting references before seeing them in the show | Basic familiarity with the game world helps, but is not essential | Still strong, though some locations or terms will not be new | Requires beginning the game before the 10-episode series | Players already invested in V’s story |
| Game and anime in parallel | Cross-format references can reveal context earlier than intended | None, but switching formats can interrupt each story’s momentum | Depends on when you switch; cliffhangers may compete for attention | Spread across two ongoing experiences | Viewers who enjoy comparing the same setting as they go |
| Tie-ins before the anime | Possible context loss or unfamiliar references | Higher; the manga and tabletop rules assume interest in the setting | Less immediate because you encounter supplementary material first | Adds reading and preparation before the core 10 episodes | Collectors or tabletop groups, not newcomers seeking the cleanest path |
A practical first-time viewing plan
- Reserve time for the complete series. Watch all 10 episodes in order rather than stopping after a few and moving directly to the game. The show’s character arcs and stakes develop across the full season.
- Start the base game after the finale. Use a new or existing save according to your preference. You do not need to hunt for anime references; let them appear naturally while exploring Night City.
- Decide how strictly to place the expansion. For maximum campaign continuity, finish the main game first. If the expansion becomes available during your playthrough, entering it at that point is also supported by the game’s structure.
- Choose one optional format. Read Edgerunners MADNESS if you want printed material, or use the Mission Kit if you have a group ready to play. You do not need to consume both.
- Add the sequel series last. Use the announced October 20, 2026 Netflix date as the earliest point, and verify the listing for your country when that date arrives.
Where each tie-in fits and what it adds
The MADNESS manga
The official manga belongs after the anime in a spoiler-aware order. Its role is supplementary: it gives readers another way to spend time in the Edgerunners setting, while the anime remains a complete 10-episode story. Because it is not needed to unlock a game mission or understand V’s campaign, there is no mandatory chapter-by-chapter chronology connecting it to Cyberpunk 2077.
The Mission Kit tabletop RPG
The Mission Kit is the most participatory option. The Edgerunners Handbook and rule book explain the framework, while pre-generated characters, dice, maps, standees and tokens reduce the preparation a group would otherwise have to do. “The Jacket” supplies a full-length mission so a group can begin with a ready-made scenario instead of writing one from scratch.
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Its best placement is after the anime, when everyone at the table understands the tone and setting. The kit can then function as a continuation created by your group rather than as another required installment in the official screen-and-game storyline.
Common watch-order decisions
Can I watch only the anime?
Yes. The first series was announced and structured as a standalone 10-episode story. You can stop after the finale without playing either game or reading any tie-in.
Is Edgerunners a prequel to Cyberpunk 2077?
No. It is an original story in the same universe and Night City, not a retelling of V’s campaign. Shared setting details create connections without making the anime a chronological prequel.
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No strict requirement is imposed by the recommended order. The expansion can be entered when its in-game access becomes available, but completing the main game first gives the clearest campaign progression.
Should I read the manga before watching?
Not if this is your first exposure. Read Cyberpunk: Edgerunners MADNESS after the anime so the show supplies the primary introduction and the manga remains an optional addition.
Do I need to watch the first series before Edgerunners 2?
The sequel has a fresh cast and an all-new story, so it is not described as a prerequisite for the first series or the game. Watching season 1 first is still the most coherent franchise order, especially because it establishes the shared setting.
Bottom line
Start with the 10-episode Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, then play Cyberpunk 2077. Treat Phantom Liberty as the game’s expansion, place the official manga and Mission Kit afterward if you want more material, and watch Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 from its announced October 20, 2026 Netflix premiere onward.
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