Modern video games have all followed a trend, a formula that keeps player interest rising. And with today’s titles, there’s a new generation of players who’ve grown up with quality-of-life improvements and streamlined systems. One of the features this generation now expects is a New Game Plus mode after finishing the main story.
While it’s not always necessary, it’s a welcome bonus to carry everything over into a second run. It opens the door for multiple playstyles and deeper experimentation. This is especially common in Soulslike games, where every item, loadout, and level transfers to the next run, although enemies become tougher and hit harder as a result.
Plenty of non-Soulslike titles like NieR: Automata or Ghost of Tsushima also include New Game Plus, but surprisingly, there are still games that don’t launch with it, which often leaves players disappointed.
One of the most talked-about issues with Cyberpunk 2077, aside from its infamous 2020 launch, was its lack of a New Game Plus mode. Players have requested this feature for years, and even with the game’s latest patch, it’s still missing. CD Projekt Red has explained why it isn’t possible, but fans remain skeptical. If The Witcher 3 could have New Game Plus, then Cyberpunk 2077 could too.
Most explanations point to technical limitations. Starting a new game with all your upgrades and tools could break balance and progression. After all, no one wants to defeat the first boss in one hit. This is the kind of outcome developers try to avoid by holding back New Game Plus at launch.
But some choices are just baffling. Yakuza: Like a Dragon – Infinite Wealth only allows New Game Plus if you pay for it. This decision left many players upset, and RGG Studio doesn’t seem concerned about the backlash.
At the end of the day, New Game Plus is a powerful way to boost replayability and give players more content. Games that thrive on exploration and long progression systems, like Cyberpunk 2077, would benefit tremendously from having it. And with the ever-increasing prices of video games over the past few years, launching without one feels unfair to the consumers.
More developers should make it a priority to launch with New Game Plus, rather than adding it months later when player interest has already faded.
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