Cyberpunk 2077 is getting a mammoth-sized update, titled Update 2.0, tomorrow, September 21, and it promises to be a bit of a game changer. A police revamp, a progression overhaul, a new cybernetics system, vehicular combat, DLSS 3.5—it's vast, and thankfully separate from the Phantom Liberty expansion due next week, so you'll get all of this for free. With so many changes, the developer is naturally recommending that you experience it all on a fresh save, starting a new game rather than continuing an existing one.
It's entirely possible to just carry on with an old save, but making a new character will ease you into all of the big changes, most notably the skill system, which might be a bit jarring if you have to rebuild an existing character. "Due to the number of changes, starting fresh will enhance your overall gameplay experience," reads the tweet from CD Projekt Red.
Hey, chooms! While you'll be able to continue the game with your current character on an existing save, we recommend starting a new game after @CyberpunkGame
Update 2.0. Due to the number of changes, starting fresh will enhance your overall gameplay experience!
played the OG version on release. there is a "point of no return" message for the end of the game. If you complete game or save after that point and reopen that save you're locked into that ending based on what you did prior to crossing the point of no return.
so the playable sections all come before this — so if you missed something after completing you can reload your "Meet [Person] At Embers Bar" save (the point of no return) — go do it with your endgame character and then optionally revisit the final section if you like.
from what I gather on loading up an old save after this patch you'll have to re spec your character and may have missed minor things, but can start all the new content from your ...Embers save.
From a new player perspective you can choose to do the DLC or the vanilla game at any order or at any point- gated by your character level and progression, similar to how Fallout DLC works.