Guinea Pigs

Key takeaways

The mission is short, but its infiltration layout and target context make preparation worthwhile.

• Follow Regina Jones’s lead Guinea Pigs is a fixer gig from Regina Jones, so check the objective marker and messages before entering the target area. The mission’s progression is driven by reaching the assigned location and resolving the contract. Regina Jones
• Scout before engaging Use V’s scanner to identify guards, cameras, terminals, and possible paths before starting a fight. A few seconds of reconnaissance can make the difference between a controlled approach and an alert that draws the whole area into combat.
• The target is Joanne Koch Joanne Koch is the person V is sent to deal with. Keep the target objective in view while exploring so that optional movement through the location does not turn into unnecessary backtracking. Joanne Koch
• Do not assume combat is required immediately The gig supports stealth, hacking, and direct combat approaches. Players who prefer a quiet completion should avoid attacking the first guard they see and instead look for a route that keeps V away from overlapping sightlines.

Guinea Pigs

Guinea Pigs is a Regina Jones gig focused on Joanne Koch, a Biotechnica-linked figure whose treatment of vulnerable people has made her a target.

Regina Jones assigns V to investigate and deal with Joanne Koch. The gig is built around reaching Koch’s position, identifying the safest route through the area, and deciding how aggressively to handle the final confrontation. It is an optional activity rather than part of Cyberpunk 2077’s central campaign, but it uses the game’s recurring themes of corporate exploitation, disposable lives, and the blurred line between justice and contract work.

The mission rewards observation more than a direct assault. V can approach the objective area while watching for security, use stealth and quickhacks to reduce the risk of an alarm, or fight through opposition when a quieter route is impractical. The available space contains multiple ways to move toward the target, so the exact sequence can differ depending on V’s build, equipment, and willingness to search the environment.

Joanne Koch is the central figure in the gig’s investigation. The mission presents her as connected to unethical experimentation involving people who have little power to resist corporate or institutional abuse. The broad objective is straightforward, but the context gives the encounter more weight than a routine elimination contract: V is not simply clearing a hostile location, but confronting a person whose work has harmed others.

As with other gigs in Cyberpunk 2077, the mission is most useful as a compact opportunity to practice the game’s main systems. Scanning can reveal threats and interactable objects, stealth can prevent a larger fight, and combat remains available if the infiltration breaks down. Players who want the cleanest outcome should save before entering the target area and check the surroundings before committing to an attack.

The exact payout, enemy composition, and route details can vary with game version, difficulty, and the player’s approach. This page therefore avoids unverified numerical values and does not present a single route as mandatory. Its reliable core is the mission’s association with Regina Jones, its target Joanne Koch, and its emphasis on reaching and dealing with Koch in an area protected by security.

Where this sits

Requirements

The gig requires access to the relevant Regina Jones contract and the ability to travel to its objective area.

• RequiredRegina Jones must offer the gigThe mission is obtained as a gig from Regina Jones. If it is not visible, continue exploring and progressing through the Watson content associated with her fixer network.
• RequiredReach the objective areaV must travel to the location marked for Guinea Pigs. The mission does not require a particular character build or weapon type.
• RecommendedPrepare for securityA scanner, quickhacks, a silenced weapon, or a reliable combat loadout can each be useful. None is mandatory, but entering without a plan makes detection more likely.
• OptionalSave before infiltrationA manual save is useful before entering the guarded area because the approach and the result of a failed stealth attempt can differ substantially.

Objectives

1. Travel to the location assigned by Regina JonesUse the map marker to reach the gig area and remain within the mission zone until the local objective updates.
2. Enter the guarded areaChoose a route that suits V’s build. The gig can be approached through stealth, hacking, or open combat rather than requiring one specific playstyle.
3. Locate Joanne KochSearch the interior and surrounding access routes while using the scanner to identify threats and points of interest.
4. Neutralize or otherwise resolve the target objectiveComplete the contract after reaching Koch’s position. The exact interaction and available resolution can depend on the state of the encounter.
5. Leave the area and report the resultAfter the target objective is resolved, follow the updated mission marker and any message or call from Regina Jones to close out the gig.

WalkthroughSpoilers

1. 01

   Begin Guinea Pigs

   Accept the contract from Regina Jones

   Open the message or call that introduces Guinea Pigs and read the objective before leaving the conversation. The mission is a fixer gig, so its marker may be handled alongside other Regina Jones activities in the same general district.

   Location: Regina Jones’s gig network

   TipClear unrelated map markers before entering the mission area if you want the final encounter to remain easy to isolate.

2. 02

   Reach the gig location

   Travel to the marked location

   Follow the mission marker rather than entering nearby buildings at random. Once V reaches the active zone, pause outside and scan the approach so that guards, cameras, and alternate entrances are visible before the encounter begins.

   Location: The Guinea Pigs objective area

   Watch outStarting combat before the mission objective updates can create confusion if nearby enemies belong to another activity.

3. 03

   Find a way inside

   Survey the perimeter

   Use the scanner to identify hostile personnel and surveillance devices around the entrance and the surrounding structure. Look for cover, doors, stairs, and changes in elevation before deciding whether to enter through the most obvious route.

   Location: Perimeter of the guarded site

   TipA camera can turn a single takedown into a full alert, so check the area above and behind V as well as the path directly ahead.

4. 04

   Enter the guarded area

   Choose an infiltration route

   Move through the safest available entrance for V’s build instead of treating the front approach as mandatory. Stealth players should wait for isolated patrols, while netrunners can disable or distract surveillance and combat-focused characters can use cover to push forward.

   Location: Access routes around the target site

   Watch outIf guards detect V, the mission can become a direct firefight and the target may move or become harder to reach.

5. 05

   Reach Joanne Koch

   Advance toward the target zone

   Keep the mission marker active while moving deeper into the location. Check rooms and corridors methodically, but do not spend time looting in an exposed position; the important progression comes from reaching Joanne Koch rather than clearing every corner.

   Location: Interior of the target site

   TipUse quickhacks or silent takedowns on isolated threats, then wait for the area to settle before moving on.

   Checkpoint
6. 06

   Locate Joanne Koch

   Identify Joanne Koch’s position

   When V reaches the target area, use the objective marker and scanner to distinguish Koch from ordinary security. Avoid opening fire until the target’s position is clear, because a chaotic engagement can obscure the next objective and force V to fight through additional guards.

   Location: Joanne Koch’s area

   Watch outDo not leave the active mission area while searching; moving too far away can interrupt the encounter or fail the gig.

7. 07

   Neutralize or resolve the target objective

   Resolve the confrontation

   Deal with Joanne Koch using the approach available in the encounter. A stealth or hacking build can attempt to keep the confrontation contained, while a combat build should use cover and eliminate immediate threats before concentrating on the target.

   Location: Target area

   Watch outOnce the confrontation begins, nearby security may join the fight. Keep an escape route in mind instead of standing in an exposed doorway.

   Checkpoint
8. 08

   Complete Guinea Pigs

   Confirm that the contract is complete

   Wait for the objective text and mission state to update before leaving the site. If enemies remain hostile, finish the encounter or break line of sight as directed by the updated objective rather than assuming that reaching the exit alone completes the gig.

   Location: The mission area

   TipCheck the journal after the encounter if the completion message does not appear immediately.

   Checkpoint
9. 09

   Close out the contract

   Leave and collect the outcome

   Follow the post-objective marker away from the target site and respond to Regina Jones’s follow-up when it appears. The gig is complete only after the game records the contract result, so do not quit immediately after the target goes down.

   Location: Exit from the gig area

   Checkpoint

Mission mechanics

Guinea Pigs is a flexible infiltration gig. The mission does not demand a particular cyberware setup, weapon class, or attribute spread, allowing V to treat the site as a stealth puzzle, a hacking exercise, or a conventional combat arena. The scanner is valuable in every case because it reveals hostile status, surveillance, and useful interactables before V commits to a route.

Stealth is strongest when V separates security personnel from one another. Use cover, corners, distractions, and disabled cameras to avoid creating a chain reaction. If a takedown is possible, move the body out of sight before continuing; leaving it in a corridor can expose V when the next patrol arrives.

Hacking provides a way to reduce pressure without immediately exchanging gunfire. Cameras and isolated guards can be handled from a distance, while distractions can create openings for movement. Combat remains a valid fallback, but the target area is easier to control when V first breaks the surveillance network and avoids fighting from the middle of several sightlines.

The mission’s investigation context is conveyed through its target and contract framing rather than through a long chain of mandatory objectives. Players interested in the story should inspect the environment and read available messages or shards before rushing to the target. These details add context, but they are not required to understand the core objective.

What works and what does not

Completion checklist

• Accept Guinea Pigs from Regina JonesConfirm that the gig is active in the journal.
• Reach the marked objective areaWait for the mission zone and local objective to update.
• Scan the perimeter before enteringLook for guards, cameras, cover, and alternate routes.
• Disable or avoid surveillance where possibleThis is especially useful for a stealth or hacking approach.Optional
• Locate Joanne KochUse the mission marker and scanner to identify the target.
• Resolve the target encounterUse the approach that matches V’s build.
• Verify the completion messageDo not leave immediately after the confrontation if the objective has not updated.
• Follow the exit or follow-up objectiveComplete the final contract state before moving on.

Failure conditions

• V leaves the active mission areaMoving too far from the objective while searching or fighting can interrupt the gig and may trigger a failure state.
• The target objective is not completedReaching the site is not enough; V must resolve the encounter with Joanne Koch and allow the mission state to update.
• V abandons the gigLeaving the activity unfinished or moving on without following the active objective can prevent completion until the mission is retried or reloaded.
• V is defeatedAs with other combat activities, V’s death ends the current attempt and returns the player to the latest available save or checkpoint.

Rewards and drops

• Gig completion reward
  Completing the contract provides the standard reward associated with a Regina Jones gig; the exact amount can vary with game state and should be checked in-game.
• Experience and Street Cred progress
  Finishing the gig contributes to V’s general progression and Street Cred through the normal gig reward structure.
• Loot from the objective area
  Security personnel and containers in the location may provide ordinary equipment or crafting-related loot. Specific drops are not fixed here because they can vary by version and playthrough.

Characters in this missionSpoilers

• Regina JonesFixer who assigns Guinea Pigs and receives the completed contract.

AftermathSpoilers

Trivia

• The title Guinea Pigs refers to the mission’s human-experimentation theme rather than to an item or creature V must collect.
• The gig is a clear example of Cyberpunk 2077’s recurring contrast between polished corporate environments and the people harmed by the systems operating behind them.
• Its compact structure makes it suitable for testing a new stealth, hacking, or combat build without committing to a long quest chain.

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