How does food or drinking work in Cyberpunk 2077?

Your character, known as V in Cyberpunk 2077, can expect to encounter many problems and quests in the world. Not only do they have to do business with the various gangs in Night City, but the corporations want to talk shop about how to expand their profits to reap every benefit available to the operation. When the guns are holstered, V can kick back for some easy food and a cold beverage to relax. With how immersive developers CD Projekt want to make Cyberpunk 2077, what can we expect the food and drinking mechanics to be like?

First off, you don’t have to worry about there being a hunger or thirsty meter in Cyberpunk 2077. None of those mechanics are in the game. V can eat and drink to their heart’s content, but they don’t require it to survive. Senior quest designer Philipp Weber discussed how these mechanics would work and ensured players did not have to stop at shops in-between tasks to fill them up. However, sitting down to a good meal or drinking something does come with benefits.

You might find a particular mission might be a bit more challenging than your character is ready to deal with. V could use every advantage to them, even if a bonus comes from having their favorite drink before a big battle. Weber did not go into detail about how this was going to work. But he did say it would have an impact on your combat or your character’s stats. This likely means that particular foods could enhance your weapon stability or give you an extra point to your hacking stats.

Making sure V has food in their stomach before a mission won’t be critical. It’ll be great for players looking to maximize their experience or have a perfect encounter. It won’t be required, so don’t stress out about it too much. For some, eating or drink can purely be a roleplaying experience as they explore Night City.