Dog Eat Dog

Key takeaways

Use these points to understand what matters before starting the mission.

• Follow Songbird's route Songbird is both the mission contact and the guide through the opening approach. Staying near her keeps the objective moving and prevents the introductory sequence from becoming confusing when the route passes through restricted or damaged areas.
• Expect a linear introduction Dog Eat Dog is structured as a controlled entry into Phantom Liberty rather than an open-ended gig. Exploration is possible in places, but the principal objective remains reaching Dogtown's interior and continuing the conversation with Songbird.
• The Relic is the key leverage Songbird's proposal matters because it addresses V's worsening Relic problem. The mission establishes that the promise of help is connected to a much larger operation, not a simple medical appointment.
• Prepare for the next mission The conclusion leads directly into the expansion's main crisis. Refreshing weapons, cyberware, healing items, and quickhacks before beginning is useful, especially if V has arrived at the recommended story point with an older loadout.

Dog Eat Dog overview

Dog Eat Dog is the opening mission of Phantom Liberty and V's first substantial entry into Dogtown.

The mission begins when V is contacted by Songbird and directed toward Dogtown, the heavily controlled district at the southern edge of Night City. Rather than presenting a conventional job with a large combat arena, Dog Eat Dog works as a guided introduction to the expansion: it establishes the district's restricted access, brings V into contact with Songbird, and uses the route into the city to set the tone for the story that follows.

Songbird leads V through an improvised approach into Dogtown, where barriers, damaged infrastructure, and hostile security make the direct route impractical. The mission is primarily linear, but the player can usually decide whether to move carefully, use available cyberware, or confront threats while following the route. Environmental navigation matters more than loot hunting, so checking the path ahead and listening to Songbird's instructions is more useful than searching every side room.

The central narrative purpose of Dog Eat Dog is the agreement Songbird offers V. She claims to know of a possible way to help with the Relic's damage, but access to that solution is tied to a dangerous operation involving Dogtown and the events surrounding President Myers. The mission ends by moving V into Phantom Liberty's main chain rather than resolving the larger conflict, so its most important reward is access to the expansion's continuing story.

Dog Eat Dog is designed to be approachable for characters transferred into Phantom Liberty from the main game. It does not function as a major boss mission or a branching finale. Its main points of tension come from entering a controlled district, navigating the approach route, and deciding how much to trust Songbird before the next mission begins.

Where this sits

Requirements

This mission is available as part of Phantom Liberty's opening sequence once V can enter Dogtown.

• RequiredPhantom Liberty accessThe Phantom Liberty expansion must be installed and its opening invitation or entry sequence must be available.
• RequiredReach the Dogtown approachV must travel to the meeting area indicated by Songbird. The game supplies the relevant objective marker during the opening sequence.
• RecommendedServiceable combat loadoutA functional weapon, healing supply, and cyberware setup are recommended because the route can include hostile security even though this is an introductory mission.
• RecommendedListen for Songbird's directionsNo special item is needed to navigate the route; the mission's dialogue and objective markers identify the intended way forward.

Objectives

1. Meet Songbird at the Dogtown entranceTravel to the marked meeting point and begin the conversation that starts the expansion's opening operation.
2. Follow Songbird into DogtownUse the route she indicates through the restricted approach instead of attempting to force a blocked direct entrance.
3. Navigate the damaged access routeClimb, descend, and pass through the available maintenance path while staying aware of environmental hazards and hostile security.
4. Reach the interior meeting areaContinue through the guided route until Songbird explains the operation and her proposed solution for V's Relic problem.
5. Agree to continue the operationComplete the conversation and proceed into the next Phantom Liberty mission.

Walkthrough

1. 01

   Meet Songbird

   Travel to Songbird's meeting point

   Follow the Phantom Liberty objective marker toward the Dogtown border and approach the location where Songbird is waiting. The mission does not require a special route across Night City, so use a vehicle or fast travel where available and arrive with your preferred combat setup ready.

   Location: Dogtown entrance

   TipSave before entering the district if you want a clean restart for the opening sequence.

2. 02

   Talk to Songbird

   Speak with Songbird

   Start the conversation to learn why Songbird has contacted V and why the meeting must take place inside Dogtown. The dialogue establishes the Relic as the reason V is willing to consider the job and frames the mission as the beginning of a larger arrangement.

   Location: Dogtown border

   Watch outThis conversation moves the Phantom Liberty introduction forward; do not leave the area expecting a separate side activity to start first.

3. 03

   Enter Dogtown

   Follow the alternate entrance

   Songbird directs V away from the most obvious blocked approach and toward a less direct way into Dogtown. Move through the indicated opening and use the available climbable route, ladder, or passage rather than repeatedly returning to the sealed entrance.

   Location: Restricted Dogtown approach

   TipIf the route seems to end, look for the next vertical path or gap near the objective marker. The opening section teaches that Dogtown is entered through improvised infrastructure rather than a normal public gate.

4. 04

   Reach the interior route

   Cross the damaged access area

   Continue through the industrial approach while Songbird provides guidance. The path combines traversal with the possibility of hostile contact, so keep cover nearby and avoid sprinting past an objective marker before checking whether the area has actually been secured.

   Location: Dogtown access infrastructure

   Watch outFalling, becoming separated from the intended path, or running beyond the active objective can force V back to the previous checkpoint.

5. 05

   Clear or bypass the obstruction

   Deal with security on the route

   When hostile security blocks the way, either use stealth and available cyberware or fight through the encounter with the weapons suited to V's build. Prioritize enemies that can expose or flank V, then resume the marked route after the area is safe.

   Location: Dogtown approach

   TipThis is an introductory encounter rather than a boss fight. Conserving ammunition and healing items is sensible because the mission's main challenge is reaching the next story section.

6. 06

   Open the way forward

   Use the interior access point

   Proceed through the building or service route Songbird identifies and interact with the usable access point when the objective changes. The correct path is generally close to her position, and the mission's markers remain active when a door, lift, or passage is required.

   Location: Interior Dogtown access route

   Watch outDo not treat every locked door as a puzzle solution; many side doors are scenery or unavailable routes during this guided introduction.

7. 07

   Follow Songbird

   Continue toward Dogtown's interior

   Follow Songbird through the newly opened route and remain alert for another short transition between traversal and combat. The intended path leads deeper into the district and eventually brings V to the place where the operation is explained.

   Location: Dogtown interior

   Checkpoint
8. 08

   Learn the plan

   Hear Songbird's proposal

   Allow the next conversation to play out fully so the mission objectives can update. Songbird connects her request to V's Relic condition and outlines the operation involving President Myers, turning the introductory meeting into a commitment with wider consequences.

   Location: Dogtown interior meeting area

   Watch outThis is the mission's principal narrative reveal. Further details about the operation and its consequences belong to later Phantom Liberty missions.

9. 09

   Continue the Phantom Liberty story

   Confirm the next objective

   Finish the conversation and follow the resulting objective into the next mission in the expansion. Dog Eat Dog is complete once the introduction has established the arrangement and the game transitions V toward the next operation.

   Location: Dogtown

   Checkpoint

Mission mechanics

Dog Eat Dog uses a guided route to teach the physical layout and atmosphere of Dogtown. The player is encouraged to read the environment: blocked public access gives way to maintenance routes, vertical traversal, and improvised openings. Objective markers are useful, but the next route is often identified by looking for climbable surfaces, open gaps, or the path Songbird takes.

Combat is secondary to navigation. The opening can be approached according to V's existing build, with stealth, gunplay, melee, and cyberware all remaining viable approaches when enemies appear. Because the mission leads into a larger operation, the practical preparation is to bring a comfortable general-purpose loadout rather than changing the entire build for a specialized encounter.

Dialogue is the mission's main progression system. Songbird's instructions and revelations advance the chapter more than collecting an item or defeating a named target does. Once the conversation about the Relic and the operation begins, the player should treat the next objective as a story transition rather than searching for a hidden alternate mission resolution.

What works and what does not

Choices and consequencesSpoilers

• Respond to Songbird's proposal and continue with the operation

  The Phantom Liberty main storyline proceeds into the next mission. The introductory mission does not present a known early branch that allows V to resolve the expansion immediately.

  Spoiler
• Explore or delay before approaching the marked meeting point

  V can spend time preparing in Night City before committing to the sequence, but the mission itself remains a guided introduction once started.

Dog Eat Dog checklist

• Reach the Dogtown meeting pointUse the active Phantom Liberty objective marker.
• Speak with SongbirdThe opening conversation starts the mission's guided route.
• Enter through the alternate access routeLook for the climbable or passable path indicated by Songbird.
• Handle or bypass hostile securityStealth and direct combat are both practical approaches.
• Reach the interior meeting areaStay near Songbird and follow the route deeper into Dogtown.
• Listen to the operation briefingThe briefing explains the connection to V's Relic problem and President Myers.
• Prepare for the next missionRestock and adjust V's loadout before continuing if necessary.Optional

Failure conditions

• V dies during a hostile encounterReload the latest checkpoint and approach the security encounter with more cover, healing, or a quieter route.
• V falls or becomes stuck during traversalReload the checkpoint if the intended climb, gap, or access route cannot be recovered.
• V moves too far away from SongbirdReturn to the active objective area. The mission expects V to remain close enough for the guided sequence and dialogue to continue.

Rewards and drops

• Phantom Liberty story progression
  Completing Dog Eat Dog unlocks the next stage of the expansion's main operation.
• Access to the Dogtown storyline
  The mission establishes V's entry into Dogtown and the arrangement with Songbird that drives the following missions.
• Mission experience
  The primary benefit is narrative and progression rather than a notable named weapon or boss drop.

Characters in this mission

• VPlayer character entering Dogtown in search of help with the Relic
• SongbirdContacts V, guides the approach, and presents the operation

AftermathSpoilers

Trivia

• Dog Eat Dog is named after the expression describing ruthless competition, a fitting title for an introduction set in the contested district of Dogtown.
• The mission's structure emphasizes entry and orientation: its important discoveries are the district, Songbird's role, and the offer connected to the Relic rather than a unique boss reward.
• Dogtown is presented as a place that must be entered through controlled access and improvised routes, reinforcing its separation from the rest of Night City.

Relationships