You finally did it. You climbed the Arasaka Tower, or maybe you took the back way through the tunnels with Panam and the Aldecaldos, and now you’re standing in the digital graveyard of Mikoshi. The dust has settled. Your lungs feel like they’re filled with hot glass. Then, the credits roll, and "We Gotta Live Together" starts playing.
If you've played Cyberpunk 2077, you know that specific hollow-yet-hopeful ache. This track isn't just background noise; it's the DNA of the "Star" ending. Honestly, most players consider this the "best" outcome for V, but there’s a lot of nuance people miss when they’re just rushing to see the sunset. It’s a moment where the game stops being about corporate espionage and starts being about basic human survival.
Night City is a meat grinder. It eats people. But the we gotta live together cyberpunk vibe flips the script. It suggests that while you can't beat the system, you can at least walk away from it with people who actually give a damn about you.
The Sound of Leaving Night City Behind
P.T. Adamczyk and Marcin Przybyłowicz did something incredible with the score. While most of the game is aggressive industrial techno and distorted synths, "We Gotta Live Together" feels grounded. It’s acoustic. It’s raw. It captures that feeling of driving away from a toxic relationship—which, let's be real, is exactly what V’s relationship with Night City is.
When you choose the Path of the Star, you aren't becoming a legend. You're choosing to be a person. You're leaving the "Major Leagues" to go sleep in a tent in the desert.
The track serves as a bridge. It connects the high-octane violence of the final assault to the quiet, uncertain future of the Nomad life. It's interesting how the music shifts from the jagged edges of the "Rebel Path" (Johnny’s theme) to something that sounds like it could be played around a campfire. It's a sonic representation of V finally finding peace, even if that peace comes with a ticking clock on their life.
Why the Nomad Ending is the Only One That Matters to Fans
People argue about the endings constantly. Some love the "Don't Fear the Reaper" secret ending because it's a power fantasy. Others find the "Sun" ending—where V becomes the Queen or King of the Afterlife—to be the most "Cyberpunk" way to go out. But the we gotta live together cyberpunk spirit is found most purely in the "Star" ending.
Why? Because it’s the only ending where V isn't alone.
In the Afterlife ending, you're wealthy and powerful, but you're fundamentally isolated. In the "Tower" ending added by Phantom Liberty, you survive, but you become a face in the crowd, a "nobody" who lost everyone. But when you leave with the Aldecaldos, you have a family. The game makes a very specific point: survival isn't just about breathing; it's about who is breathing next to you.
The Harsh Reality of the Six-Month Timer
We need to talk about the elephant in the room. Alt Cunningham tells V they only have about six months to live. This is where the we gotta live together cyberpunk theme gets dark.
Some players find this depressing. I think it’s actually the most realistic part of the game. Cyberpunk as a genre is never about "happily ever after." It’s about the "for now." V might die in six months. Or, as Misty’s tarot cards suggest, they might find a cure out in the Badlands or through contacts in Arizona. The ambiguity is the point.
🔗 Read more: Stardew Valley Mastery Cave: How to Actually Reach the End Game
- The "Star" card represents hope and a new beginning.
- The "World" card symbolizes completion.
- The "Sun" represents success but also a blinding ego.
Misty’s reading at the end of the Star path is overwhelmingly positive. She sees a long life for V. Is she lying? Or does the shift in environment—getting away from the soul-crushing radiation and corporate interference of Night City—actually give V’s body a chance to stabilize? We don't know. And honestly, it doesn't matter. The victory is that V spent those six months free.
The Contrast of Corporate Loneliness
Compare the Nomad ending to the "Devil" ending. In the Arasaka ending, you’re literally trapped in a space station, surrounded by sterile white walls and scientists who treat you like a lab rat. You’re "living," but you’re a ghost in a machine.
The we gotta live together cyberpunk philosophy is the direct opposite of Arasaka’s "Save Your Soul" program. Arasaka wants to digitize you to live forever as a product. The Aldecaldos want you to live as a human, even if it’s only for a few months. It’s a choice between quantity of life and quality of life.
How to Actually Get the "We Gotta Live Together" Experience
To see this ending and hear the track in context, you can't just stumble into it. You have to put in the work with Panam Palmer. This isn't just about a romance subplot; it’s about building a reputation with the clan.
- Complete "Riders on the Storm": You have to rescue Saul. This is non-negotiable.
- Finish "With a Little Help from My Friends": Help Panam steal the Basilisk.
- Close out "Queen of the Highway": This cements your status as a member of the Aldecaldos.
When you’re on the rooftop with Johnny at the end of the game, you choose to call Panam. This sets the stage. The final mission, "Belly of the Beast," is a chaotic, dusty, violent mess, but the payoff is that final drive across the border.
The Role of Johnny Silverhand in This Ending
It’s easy to forget Johnny in all this. In the Star ending, Johnny actually supports your decision. If you have a high friendship level with him, his "death" in Mikoshi isn't a tragedy; it’s a sacrifice. He finally understands that V deserves a life away from the city that destroyed him.
✨ Don't miss: Why 100s of Buttons and Sounds is the Weirdest Obsession on Your Phone
The we gotta live together cyberpunk message extends to Johnny too. He realizes he can't "live together" with V in the same body anymore without killing them. By letting go, he finally does something selfless. It’s the ultimate growth for a character who started the game as a narcissistic terrorist.
Actionable Insights for Your Next Playthrough
If you’re heading back into Night City or playing for the first time, don't just treat the endings as a checklist. The way you interact with the world changes the emotional weight of that final song.
Pay attention to the shards. There’s a lot of lore about the Aldecaldos and their history as "Nation" nomads. Reading these makes the final choice feel more earned. You aren't just joining a random gang; you're joining a culture that has survived the collapse of the US by sticking together.
Listen to the radio. The transition from the heavy metal and glitch-pop of Night City to the silence of the desert is a deliberate narrative tool. By the time "We Gotta Live Together" plays, your ears should be "tired" of the city's noise. It makes the acoustic melody feel like a physical relief.
Don't skip the credits. I know, it’s tempting. But the video messages from your friends change based on your choices. In the Star ending, the messages are some of the most heart-wrenching and beautiful in the game. You’ll see how your departure affected everyone from Judy to Viktor Vektor.
The core of the we gotta live together cyberpunk experience is realizing that the "win condition" of life isn't money or fame. It's the ability to look at the people around you and know that you’re not facing the end alone. Night City tells you that you're only worth what's in your bank account or your head. The Aldecaldos tell you you’re worth the effort of a rescue mission.
To get the most out of this ending, focus your build on high mobility and brotherhood. Use the "Aldecaldos Rally Bolero" jacket. Roleplay as someone who was always looking for a way out. When that music hits as you cross the border into Arizona, it won't just be an ending to a game—it'll feel like a genuine escape.
Go back and finish those side quests for Panam. Talk to Mitch. Spend time at the camp. The more you invest in the community before the final mission, the harder that final track will hit when the screen goes black.