Corpos may have their fair share of influence, but when players are strolling through streets of Night City, they're ultimately at the mercy of Cyberpunk 2077's gangs - and Phantom Liberty's new gang will only further tip the scales in their favor. The DLC, which is set to release on September 26, will take V to a brand-new location named Dogtown, where they'll need to save NUSA President Rosalind Myers from unfriendly locals. Even with powerful allies like Idirs Elba's Solomon Reed and the President's netrunner Songbird, they'll still be in for a bumpy ride, as Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty's new gang looks to be its most dangerous yet.
Currently, Night City is home to nine different gangs. From the progressive and protective Mox, to the organ harvesting Scavengers, each Cyberpunk 2077 gang has unique lore, rules, goals, styles, and territories that they occupy. Each packs a different punch, too; some groups, like the netrunning Voodoo Boys, can be taken down relatively easily outside of cyberspace, whereas more malicious gangs like the cyberware-obsessed Maelstrom will pose more of a physical threat. Based on everything that's known about Phantom Liberty's new faction, though, it looks like V will have to gear up for their toughest gang encounters so far.
The Barghest Control Dogtown In Phantom Liberty
Barghest are Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty's newest gang, and they seem to be far more brutal, aggressive, and dictatorial than any other gang in Night City. Occupying Dogtown under the rule of their leader, Kurt Hansen, the group acts more like a militia than a traditional gang. Instead of committing crimes and causing chaos, Barghest actively enforce Hansen's laws instead, dealing with any stragglers who dare to undermine his tyranny.
In the words of Quest Director Paweł Sasko (via the extended Xbox Games Showcase on Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty's many reworks aim to change that entirely.
The police system is receiving a massive overhaul with the DLC, including improved AI, more aggressive behaviors, vehicle chases and combat, and even a more present MaxTac. When committing a crime in Phantom Liberty's Night City, V will be faced with more dire and more immediate consequences than ever before. Although the extent of the ND's improvements remain to be seen, knowing that the Barghest are a step ahead of the city's police department paints them as a truly hazardous bunch.
In fact, even their name alludes to the group's unparalleled power. In northern English folklore, the Barghest is a spectral, goblin-like hound that brings misfortune everywhere it goes, oftentimes serving as an omen of death - and since Phantom Liberty's Barghest rule over a location named Dogtown, this hardly seems like a coincidence. While Narrative Director Igor Sarzyński cites the inspiration for Kurt Hansen and his followers as "South American drug lords" in the official Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty trailer breakdown on YouTube, the parallel is hard to ignore for a faction as threatening as the Barghest.
Hansen & The Barghest Have Military Experience
Barghest's direct military background only makes them more intimidating. According to a description of Hansen on the official Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty site, the group was formed as a result of the Unification War. Taking place between 2069 and 2070, the war pitted the NUSA against the "Free States," which rejected President Rosalind Myers' plans to unify the country again under the federal government's power. Even with backing from Militech, the NUSA was eventually forced to back away from Night City after mayor Lucius Rhyne called upon the help of the global superpower, Arasaka.
However, before the military could fully retreat, NUSA Colonel Hansen took the opportunity to abandon his position and establish a new, separatist faction of his own with the help of his former comrades. Deciding to stake a claim in Night City's lawless, abandoned Combat Zone, Hansen formed Barghest and renamed the area Dogtown. Since then, he has ruled his slice of the city with "an iron fist."
With Hansen and much of Barghest hailing from the NUSA military itself, it's evident that their strict, highly organized nature isn't just for show. The gang has first-hand experience with combat and advanced Militech technologies, and they aren't afraid to use violence to prolong their tyrannical leadership over the subdistrict.
Dogtown Is Cyberpunk 2077's Most Dangerous Subdistrict
Moreover, even the territory of Phantom Liberty's new gang speaks to the extent of their power. Formerly being the city's Combat Zone, it's a location that's incredibly dangerous, even by Cyberpunk 2077's standards; ND and MaxTac have historically refused to step foot there, due to the general unrest and chaos that resides therein. In fact, it's rumored to have been the ND's dumping grounds for any cyberpsychos they deemed as a lost cause, and so the area is undoubtedly teeming with some of the city's most violent, unstable, and chromed-up rejects.
Dogtown's central hub of trade, the Black Market, only makes matters worse. As seen in the extended Xbox Games Showcase, the main draw to the marketplace is its stock of back-alley, federally illegal cyberware upgrades. In tandem with Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty's game-changing cyberware rework, V will likely be able to take advantage of a few implants themselves - but Dogtown residents, and potentially Barghest soldiers themselves, will certainly have the advantage when it comes to unadulterated, unpredictable cyberware.
Everything that's known about Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty's new gang, the Barghest, points to them being the most dangerous group in Night City. With their military background, easy access to illegal cyberware, and fully-fledged dictatorship over Dogtown, Hansen and his crew will undoubtedly stand in the way as V attempts to save President Myers from their grasp. Until the DLC is released, the true extent of the group's power remains to be seen - but preparing for Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty and the Barghest will likely serve players well.
Source: Cyberpunk 2077/YouTube (1, 2), Cyberpunk 2077
