Lifepaths are your character’s backstory in Cyberpunk 2077. There are three options to choose from, including Nomad, Street Punk, and Corpo. In this guide, we’ll take a look at all three Lifepaths, what they are, and how they influence your character.
Choosing between the three Lifepaths might be one of the hardest decisions you make in Cyberpunk 2077. Understanding each of them may make your life a little easier.
Cyberpunk 2077 Lifepaths
Here’s a look at each of the Cyberpunk 2077 Lifepaths:
We got a better look at each of the Cyberpunk 2077 Lifepaths during the second episode of the Night City Wire.
Street Kid
You grew up in Heywood, where the whole street was your family. Neighbors helped each other out and thought nothing of it. You have childhood memories of hopping over buildings, running away from badges, and that iron taste in your mouth from blood and a split lip.
Everyone fights for a slice of the street. Street Kids never forget their roots. If you continue getting jumped, you find yourself some better pals. Morgan Blackhand is someone you look up to, the highly-trained killer and demolitions specialist.
Nomad
Nomads start in the Badlands, and the beginning of the game focuses on you making your way into Night City. You have fond memories of racing your car through the hills and your first kiss in the middle of a synth cornfield. Nomads choose who they make their family and value those bonds over everything.
You head to the city because your family is in pieces. You may be an outcast there, but Nomads have a hunger for freedom. Night City is where you find the camaraderie you’ve been missing.
Corpo
You work for the corporations that rule the heart of Night City. You crave power and have the ambition necessary to get you to the top of the ladder. Work for yourself and live for yourself, because that’s the only way you know. Corpos know how business works and how to make money and use it for power.
Saburo Arasaka may be old and frail now, but he’s still the genius he was in his younger years and he’s still on top. Saburo’s son, Kei, is the CEO of Arasaka Corporation, the most powerful megacorp in Night City.
How does your Cyberpunk 2077 Lifepaths choice affect the story?
In an interview with Philipp Weber, the quest design coordinator, we learn how your Cyberpunk 2077 lifepaths choice affects the story. If you choose the Street Kid, you know the streets, the gangs, and everything about the city. This knowledge can benefit you later on in the game. Corpos, on the other hand, are well-versed in business, which can, again, provide you valuable opportunities later in the story.Â
Choosing the Nomad lifepath, for instance, starts you in the Badlands, whereas you’re already in the city with the other two options. The Badlands area is on the outskirts of Night City. Cyberpunk 2077 is a true RPG, and your lifepaths affect various aspects of the game.
A good example of how lifepaths affect the story is an example Philipp gives during his interview, where V must steal something from the Maelstrom gang. Within this quest, there are some optional objectives that change depending on your lifepath.
As a Corpo, you unlock some more dialog with one of the NPCs who is a business executive. As a Corpo, you understand how higher-level business people think and operate. Doing this bonus objective may unlock some other interaction with the Maelstrom gang down the line. Similarly, if you’re a Nomad, you know about some of the inner workings of the Maelstrom gang.Â
However, as a Street Kid, you don’t have much experience dealing with higher-ups in business or the Maelstrom gang. Therefore, you won’t get additional dialog options. Your life in the streets taught you a lot about drugs, though, which comes in handy in this specific quest and opens up another side objective.
