Developer CD Projekt Red has assured fans that Cyberpunk 2077 is chock full of various Easter Eggs and References that can be found all over Night City - ranging from nods to other games from the developer to other games and pop culture. This Easter Eggs and References guide has been updated for Cyberpunk 2.0 and the Phantom Liberty expansion.

This page contains information on all the known Easter Eggs that have been confirmed in Cyberpunk 2077.

CDPR Staff Photo in Phantom Liberty

On the rooftop of Tom’s Diner in Watson, you can look through a pair of binoculars to spot a staff photo.

Fast travel to the intersection of Bradbury and Buran, and go south to reach Tom’s Diner. After jumping on to the roof, use the binoculars and look up and to the left to focus on this red bird. After a few seconds, your vision will shift, and you’ll see a photo of Cyberpunk 2077’s dev team superimposed over the screen. This was discovered by Twitter user @ianilanoTV and confirmed by devs in March 2024. We have also tested and confirmed the Easter egg.

CDPR Founders Selling Braindances

As observed by Reddit user bobcio1988, CD Projekt founders Marcin Iwiński and Micha? Kiciński appear as vendors in Dogtown, which players can visit as part of the Phantom Liberty DLC.

The braindances they sell also appear to contain references to CD Projekt milestones - the price of each braindance corresponds to a significant event in the developers' history:

• The Snitcher refers to the release of The Witcher in 2007
• Farmer's Mate refers to the Polish localization of Baldur's Gate that CD Projekt released in 1999
• Retrotrunk refers to Cyberpunk's 2020 release
• Dance of Brain of Lech Kie?basiewicz, dated 1989, may be a reference to Marcin Iwiński's history selling imported games in Poland before CD Projekt was founded, a time period he discusses in a November 2013 Eurogamer interview.
• Rent refers to Gwent, released in beta in 2017
• Bonetweaker refers to Thronebreaker, released 2018

A Tribute to Late Rally Driver, Ken Block

CD Projekt Red has secretly added a free weaponized car to Night City that is not only among the best early vehicles you can obtain right from the beginning, but it also pays tribute to the late legendary rally driver, Ken Block, who passed away in January 2023. The car is located in the Watson Northside district, where it is hidden inside an old warehouse.

To unlock the Type-66 Hoon yourself, see our full guide on How to Find Ken Block's Car Location.

Witcher Reference in Dogtown

The Dogtown area, added with Phantom Liberty, includes a reference to The Witcher - the faction of baddies led by Colonel Kurt Hansen is called the Barghest, sharing a name with the Witcher's vicious green dog monsters.

You Can Fail or Quit Phantom Liberty's Main Story

Early on in Phantom Liberty's main story, in Hole in the Sky, you'll find yourself rushing through the main streets of Dogtown to rescue the President of the New United States of America: Rosalind Myers. But did you know that if you take your sweet time and don't follow the object, you'll actually fail the mission?

You won't get a game over screen either, instead, you'll get a very angry Songbird telling you that the president is dead and that she never wants to see you again. You'll then glitch out and get some dialogue from Johnny, telling you that you failed, but that he doesn't care anyway. You're then free to explore Dogtown, take on gigs, or continue the main Cyberpunk 2077 story. But from here on, you'll be locked out of Phantom Liberty's main story.

Another way to fail the story is by telling both Myers and Reed that you want nothing to do with this mission. In the fourth mission, titled Lucretia My Reflection you’ll meet Idris Elba’s Cyberpunk character: Solomon Reed. You'll take him to meet up with Myers, and the pair will discuss the next steps for rescuing Songbird. During this discussion in the apartment, you can make some specific dialogue choices that will see V declining to take on the mission. When asked by Reed if this mission is worth what Myers and Songbird have promised, you can select the dialogue option, "You're right, I'm out". Myers will then follow up to make sure you know what you're doing. You can then select, "Made my decision".

Doing this will lock you out of Phantom Liberty's main story. Again, you can partake in gigs, explore Dogtown, and return to Night City's main story, but the Phantom Liberty story will never continue.

No Entry For "NCPigs"

During the Phantom Liberty DLC, if you try to enter Dogtown in a police vehicle, you'll find the entryway barred to you with an unwelcoming message projected onto it.

Johnny Silverhand, Meet John Wick

If you head over to EBM Petrochem Stadium in Dogtown and visit the Weapon Shop near the fast travel point, you'll be able to see a gun case on the ground in the back of the shop that's left for the one and only John Wick. This is a reference to the iconic hitman character Keanu Reeves plays on screen, and Johnny has a pretty great reaction to the discovery as well...

A Biggs and Wedge Email Easter Egg

Biggs and Wedge -- two characters from Star Wars who later became recurring names in the Final Fantasy series -- make an appearance in an email exchange on the Expo computer. This can be read during the Spider and the Fly main story mission, but you can revisit the area on your own as well. It's located at the point on the map below.

The Wire Email Easter Egg

Reddit user xXMercWAMouthXx discovered a nod to The Wire through an email with the fixer El Capitan and someone named Mike Sobotka. The latter's last name is the same as Frank Sobotka from season 2 of the show, and he mentions the stevedores in the email as well, which is the name of the union that Frank is treasurer of.

Technical Ability Skill Tree Has an Akira Reference

Alongside being able to do the Akira slide while on your motorcycle, you can actually find another Akira easter egg in the Technical Ability Skill Tree. More specifically, as the icon for the Chain Lightning skill in the top right.

Matrix Easter Egg - Red Pill, Blue Pill

John Wick isn’t the only Keanu movie that gets referenced in Cyberpunk’s new DLC. You can find a hidden room dedicated to a classic Matrix scene in Dogtown as well. To find it, start on the walkway that connects the big pyramid to the building on the northwest side. Go across the bridge, turn left, make sure to grab the relic point from the terminal here, and then hop up on top of the bridge. Follow the path along the building to the right until you’re able to hop in through a window. Just down the corridor, you’ll spot two comfy-looking chairs and a table with two pills.

Secret Phone Numbers

As you go through the main quest Lucretia My Reflection, eventually you’re going to reach a point where you need to call Solomon Reed. After you do that though, you’re free to enter your own numbers into the phone, and wouldn't you know it, there are a bunch already post-it noted on the wall. Enter the number: “6175556277” to listen to a cover of Samurai’s hit single “Never Fade Away,”

And Witcher fans might want to dial 574-555-2377 for a nice surprise.

Undercover Reed

Did you know that you can spot Idris Elba in Cyberpunk even if you don’t have the Phantom Liberty DLC? Before he gets called into action, Reed is working undercover as a bouncer at Dino Dinovic’s bar downtown. If you head there during nighttime, you’ll spot him in disguise right inside, guarding the door. There’s not much you can do with him, and he doesn’t have much to say to you beyond just… but it’s still a cool detail.

Edgerunners Easter Egg in Cyberpunk 2077 2.0 Update

Following the Cyberpunk 2.0 Update, it has been discovered that five new memorials have been added to the Columbarium for some of Edgerunners most beloved characters:

• David Martinez
  • You didn't take me to the moon, but you were there with me.
• Gloria Martinez
  • You were right. David reached the top Arasaka Tower.
• Rebecca
  • I regret not finishing our conversation.
• Pilar, Dorio, and Maine
  • You were the only family I ever had.
• Kiwi
  • You taught me to never trust anyone in NC.

While we can't say for sure, we can only assume that Lucyna Kushinada was responsible for writing and organizing each memorial.

To check out these memorials yourself, head to Columbarium, which can be found in North Oak, Westbrook.

You'll find Kiwi's memorial in the outside section to your right.

Rebecca, Pilar, Dorio, and Maine's near the center of the building.

And finally, David and Gloria's not too far away in the enclosed section at the end of the building.

References to Other Cyberpunk Media Starring Keanu Reeves

Cyberpunk isn't Keanu Reeves' first rodeo in a techno-dystopia world, and Night City is hiding a few references to other cyberpunk stories. If you watch enough of the game's television advertisements, you may see a few interesting advertisements:

The first is for Revere Courier Services. The particular ad displays an x-ray of a man's head with a storage device inside, claiming "The first 80 gigs are free!" This is a nod to the film Johnny Mnemonic - starring Keanu Reeves as the titular character who carries covert information stored in his brain, but it can only hold so much: 80 gigabytes, in fact!

Another advertisement for a clothing store begins with the words. "What do you need?" "Clothes. Lot's of Clothes.", before showing a person standing in an endless white space before rows and rows of clothing fly past them. This is a reference to the film, The Matrix - also starring Keanu Reeves, in a scene where he requests "Guns. Lots of guns." before entering The Matrix.

You Know About the Three Seashells?

When lounging in V's apartment, be sure to check out the bathroom area and look next to the toilet past the curtain, and you'll find three peculiar sea shells next to the toilet.

This is a reference to the movie Demolition Man, where their futuristic waste disposal only worked using these mysterious shells - something Sylvester Stallone's character never really figured out how to work.

Photo Mode Pose References

In a released trailer for Cyberpunk 2077, developers showed off the robust photo mode, and included several nods to some well known poses.

Among the poses you can choose from are several pop culture references that include:

• In the Name of the Moon, I'll Punish You! - Sailor Moon
• V's Bizarre Pose - Jojo's Bizarre Adventure
• You're Breathtaking - Keanu Reeves Quote
• Hard Pass / Now You're Talking - Hotline Bling
• Joker Stairs - Joker Movie (2019)
• V for Victory - Dark Souls' Praise the Sun
• My Name is V. Just V - James Bond
• V Shot First - Han Solo
• Oh My God! They Killed V! - South Park
• Waiting for Godot - Waiting for Godot Play
• Like One of Your French Girls - Titanic
• Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels (Rap Group)
• Roundhouse Shot to the Face - Chuck Norris' Roundhouse Kick to the Face
• Be Cool, This Is a Robbery! - Pulp Fiction
• Crouching Tiger,?Hidden Dragon - Movie

Ghost in the Shell

Take a look at the icon Judy uses when she calls or when you call her. You'll see a cute little ghost popping out of a shell -- a Ghost in the Shell, a cute reference to the anime Ghost in the Shell.

Fun fact, Ghost in the Shell has inspired a lot of cyberpunk media since the anime movie's original release in 1995.

Portal Series and GLaDOS

During the Epistrophy Side Job you'll encounter a rogue Delamain cab that sounds an awful lot like GLaDOS from the Portal series.

There's even a line referencing the Portal series: "I have a surprise for you waiting after this next test. Telling you would spoil the surprise, so I'll just give you a hint. I'm going to kill you, and the cake is all gone."

If that's not enough for you, after completing the objective the rogue cab will deliver a famous GLaDOS line from Portal 2 verbatim, "Here come the test results - you are a horrible person. I'm serious, that's what it says - a horrible person. We weren't even testing for that."

Half-Life 3 is Finally Released!

Well, maybe not actually Half-Life 3, but a similar-sounding game is finally released after a 50-year wait. On a shard found in the Aldecaldos' camp in the Badlands we can read a short review for a game called No Life 3.

No Life 3 stars a silent protagonist named Baron Freimensch (clearly a play on Half-Life star Gordon Freeman) who is joined by a girl named Alice (Alyx anyone?) wielding none other than a trusty crowbar as he takes down some aliens. Hopefully we don't have to wait until 2077 for Half-Life 3.

The Office

At the end of the Big In Japan Side Job when speaking with Dennis you'll meet a brain surgeon who claims to be the best in Japan. He also alludes to secretly killing the boss of the Tyger Claws before hiding in a boat and swimming to America. If this all sounds familiar, it's because the exact same scenario happened with a side character in The Office.

Fans of the show may remember Dunder Mifflin's quiet warehouse worker Hidetaka who talks about killing the boss of the Yakuza before hiding in a boat and swimming to America, only to be given a job by Darryl.

In Cyberpunk 2077, the nameless surgeon says, "In Japan, brain surgeon, top of all. Good instinct. One day, Tyger Claw boss need surgery. But, boss die on table! Tyger Claws were very angry. I hide in boat, swim to America. Here Dennis save me. But there is secret - I kill Tyger Claw boss on purpose. World best surgeon make no mistake!"

The Witcher References

As you might expect, CD Projekt Red has a lot to say about their other game franchise, The Witcher, and you can find several Easter Eggs if you look hard enough.

Ciri the Retro Game Star

There's a certain brand of magazines you can find in Night City called Retro Gamer, highlighting the coolest games of the 2000s, and who else but Ciri would be gracing the cover?

You can actually find this magazine during the Corpo Life Path intro, in a drawer at your personal desk.

Everyone Loves Roach

Geralt's beloved horse Roach has become something of a sensation - whether its due to the bond they share or just his penchant for getting stuck on a roof. Either way, you can find several references to the iconic horse:

• Cyberpunk's Photo Mode has several Roach stickers you can choose from
• Several arcade machines you can find are about playing as an 8-bit Roach trying to dodge obstacles - and roofs

The Black Unicorn

In one of many nods to The Witcher 3, you can obtain a special katana called The Black Unicorn, a nod to the Witcher 3's special steel sword that also boasts the flavor text that its "DRM free", a likely nod to CD Projekt's RED's preferred distribution platform, GOG..

If you purchased the special edition of Cyberpunk, you'll find a version of the sword in your stash at your apartment, along with a bunch of other Witcher themed clothing!

Mike Pondsmith, the Cyberpunk DJ

Cyberpunk 2077 features a slew of different radio stations - all with music of various genres composed just for Cyberpunk 2077, including rap, hip-hop, and more. As it turns out, one of these radio stations has a DJ voiced by none other than Mike Pondsmith, the creator of the Cyberpunk IP.

Additionally, some of the songs you can hear on the radio are performed by famous artists, including Grimes and Run the Jewels.

Keanu Reeves vs. Johnny Silverhand

Keanu Reeves not only voices the rocker legend known as Johnny Silverhand, but also bears his likeness - but that doesn't necessarily mean the actor doesn't exist in the Cyberpunk 2077 universe.

One of the songs featured in Cyberpunk 2077 by Run the Jewels features Keanu's name in its lyrics "Keanu Reeves - Cyber arm under my sleeve" - and there's a reason for this. According to the developers, Keanu Reeves does exist, as "little known Collapse-era actor who bore an uncanny resemblance to Johnny Silverhand, and in the years following Johnny's disappearance, was frequently mistaken for JS".

The collapse-era refers to a period of time shortly after the 90s where western civilization started its decline, resulting in the fracturing of the United States, so you likely won't see the two in the same place.

Hideo Kojima

It should come as no surprise that the games industry legend, Hideo Kojima, makes an appearance in the Cyberpunk 2077 universe.

Found in the Act 1 mission, The Heist, you will come across a character named Oshima during the optional objective that has you checking out the hotel bar.

Unfortunately, Kojima won't offer any type of missions as his appearance is cut short with just a few simple conversations that can be had when approaching his group that is sitting by the bar.

CohhCarnage Character

Popular Twitch streamer CohhCarnage has a character in Cyberpunk 2077 that players can track down via a side job. CD Projekt Red used both their likeness and voice for Garry the Prophet. You can find them spewing a number of controversies each time you come across them. For example, that Arasaka is full of vampires. Their location is in Little China, Watson, shown in the screenshot below.

Jesse Cox Character

An early Watson Side Job features both the likeness and voice of popular YouTuber, Jesse Cox. The Burning Desire mission has a character named Jesse struggling with a crotch implant malfunctioning. When you first meet them, they'll limp over to you yelling in pain. You can help take them to a Ripperdoc for help.

Pulp Fiction Reference

The graffiti outside Megabuilding H10 where V's apartment is has a small reference to the movie Pulp Fiction. When leaving the building and heading down the stairs, there's a bunch of graffiti where it says, "Does he look like a bitch?" This quote is right below a massive Tyger Claws gang spray.

Overwatch & Widowmaker

During the latter half of the Ghost Town mission with Panam, you can loot a weapon from Nash (after taking down everyone in his hideout) called the Widow Maker. Considering the name and that this weapon is a rifle, a connection can easily be drawn between it and Overwatch's character, Widowmaker, since the weapon she wields, Widow's Kiss, is also a rifle. This connection becomes even more solidified during the Riders on the Storm side mission when Panam gives you her Overwatch Sniper Rifle for helping her.

Joan McClane — Die Hard's John McClane

When you pursue River Ward as a romantic partner, the final mission of this romantic quest line where the sexual encounter with River actually happens features an AR game the two of you play. You play with two children and one of the children play a character named Joan "By The Books" McClane. Joan is a by-the-books cop in the AR game and it's clear what this is referencing: Die Hard's John McClane.

Sad Keanu Meme

CD Projekt Red has added the infamous sad Keanu Reeves meme to Cyberpunk 2077 with Update 2.1's new metro system.

The game recreates the scene exactly with Johnny Silverhand, famously played by Reeves, during a scene you can occasionally encounter while riding the metro system. As long as you don't use the metro to fast travel but instead sit and wait for added immersion, there's a chance the scene will materialize.