Prototype in the Scraper

Key takeaways

Use the following principles when preparing for and playing this retrieval mission.

Plan before entering The scrapyard is easier to manage when V first studies the perimeter and identifies cover, sightlines and a route to the objective. Rushing directly toward the marked target can turn a controlled recovery into a prolonged firefight.
Stealth and combat are both viable approaches The mission supports the broader Cyberpunk 2077 approach of combining cyberware, weapons, hacking and movement. Quiet takedowns and distraction can reduce pressure, while a direct assault is appropriate for builds that are better equipped for open combat.
Keep the extraction in mind Recovering the prototype is only part of the operation. Before taking the objective, make sure you know how to leave the immediate area, because enemies may become more difficult to avoid once the mission state changes.

Prototype in the Scraper overview

Prototype in the Scraper is a Dogtown mission built around locating and extracting a valuable prototype from a hostile scrapyard environment.

Prototype in the Scraper takes place during the Phantom Liberty portion of Cyberpunk 2077, in Dogtown. The mission is associated with Mr. Hands and follows the fixer’s familiar pattern of sending V into a dangerous situation to recover something that cannot be obtained through ordinary channels. The central task is a retrieval operation rather than a story chapter focused on a major character confrontation.

The mission’s setting is important to its play style. A scrapyard gives V multiple kinds of cover, elevation changes and possible approach routes, but it also limits visibility and makes it easy to lose track of nearby hostiles. Players should treat the area as an infiltration space first: observe the site, identify a route toward the objective and decide whether to remain quiet or turn the recovery into a direct fight.

The exact details of the prototype, the opposition encountered during the operation and the final payment are not documented in the supplied source pack. This page therefore keeps the walkthrough at the level supported by model knowledge and avoids unverified item names, enemy counts, dialogue, rewards and precise route instructions.

Where this sits

Expansion contentAvailable during the Phantom Liberty portion of the game

Fixer assignmentMr. Hands directs V toward the recovery

Scrapyard operationThe mission’s main infiltration and retrieval section

1Phantom LibertyexpansionExpansion context for the mission.
2DogtownlocationDistrict where the operation occurs.
●Prototype in the ScrapermissionThe current mission.

The mission belongs to the Dogtown fixer content associated with Phantom Liberty.

Requirements

Access to the Phantom Liberty content and sufficient progression to receive Mr. Hands’ assignment are expected.

RequiredAccess to Phantom LibertyThe mission is associated with the Dogtown content introduced by the Phantom Liberty expansion.
RequiredReach the relevant Dogtown progressionMr. Hands must be available to contact V and provide the assignment. The exact unlock point is not verified.
RecommendedCombat or infiltration toolsA build with weapons, quickhacks, cyberware or stealth options can handle the scrapyard, but no specific loadout is confirmed as mandatory.
RecommendedA planned exit routeBefore interacting with the objective, identify cover and a way back through the site in case the area becomes hostile.

Objectives

Receive the assignment connected to the prototypeFollow the mission prompt and communications associated with Mr. Hands.
Reach the scrapyard in DogtownTravel to the mission area and approach the site without committing to a fight before you have assessed the surroundings.
Locate and recover the prototypeSearch the marked operation area, deal with any opposition and interact with the objective when the route is secure.
Leave the scrapyard and complete the handoffFollow the updated objective after the recovery and finish the mission through the available contact or completion prompt.

Walkthrough

01
Start Prototype in the Scraper.
Accept the assignment from Mr. Hands
Begin the mission through the fixer contact and read the current objective before travelling. The operation is framed as a recovery job, so avoid spending resources or starting unrelated fights before reaching the marked scrapyard.
Location: Dogtown
TipSave before entering the mission area if you want a safe fallback for testing a stealth or combat approach.
02
Reach the mission site.
Travel to the scrapyard
Follow the objective marker into the scrapyard area and slow down as you approach the perimeter. The site contains clutter and cover that can obscure hostile movement, so entering at full speed can leave V surrounded before the prototype is located.
Location: Scrapyard in Dogtown
Watch outDo not assume that reaching the outer edge means the operation has safely begun; scan the area and identify nearby threats before crossing open ground.
03
Find a way into the operation area.
Reconnoitre the perimeter
Use cover, elevated positions or available surveillance tools to examine the approach toward the objective. Look for a path that avoids the densest concentration of enemies, and mark or remember a retreat route before moving deeper into the yard.
Location: Scrapyard perimeter
TipA patient scan is more valuable here than immediately firing at the first visible enemy, because the scrapyard’s obstacles can make a loud approach difficult to control.
04
Reach the prototype’s marked area.
Enter the scrapyard
Move through the safest available entrance or gap and keep hard cover between V and hostile positions. If an enemy detects you, retreat behind cover rather than continuing into an unexamined section of the yard; this creates space for hacking, healing or repositioning.
Location: Scrapyard interior
Watch outOpen ground and overlapping sightlines are the main hazards during the approach. A failed stealth attempt is survivable, but advancing without cover can quickly make the fight harder than necessary.
05
Locate the prototype.
Search the marked objective area
Use the mission marker to narrow the search and inspect the relevant container, vehicle or equipment indicated by the objective. If the interaction is unavailable, clear the immediate threat or move closer to the correct search point instead of leaving the area.
Location: Prototype objective area
TipKeep the objective marker visible while moving around the clutter; scrapyard scenery can make the interactable object difficult to distinguish from surrounding debris.
06
Recover the prototype.
Secure the prototype
Interact with the marked object once V has reached it and allow the mission objective to update before moving away. This is the point at which you should expect the operation’s next instruction, so reload, heal and check ammunition or quickhack resources if the area is still contested.
Location: Prototype objective area
Watch outDo not leave immediately after reaching the target. Confirm that the recovery has registered, or the mission may continue to direct V back to the same location.
07
Exit the hostile area.
Break contact or clear the remaining opposition
After the prototype is secured, use the route you identified during reconnaissance to move out of the scrapyard. You can disengage through cover if the mission allows it, or finish the nearby enemies when your build is better suited to direct combat.
Location: Scrapyard interior and perimeter
TipThe safest extraction is usually the reverse of a successful infiltration: return through spaces you already checked instead of taking an unfamiliar shortcut through the yard.
08
Finish Prototype in the Scraper.
Complete the mission handoff
Follow the updated marker and complete the final contact or confirmation step shown by the objective tracker. Mission completion should be confirmed by the game’s journal or reward notification; do not treat simply reaching the district boundary as proof that the job is finished.
Location: Dogtown
Checkpoint

Mission mechanics

The mission’s main mechanical challenge is the scrapyard itself. Discarded machinery, narrow passages and uneven sightlines create opportunities for stealth but also make detection harder to read. V should use the environment deliberately, keeping cover nearby and avoiding a route that exposes the character to several angles at once.

Cyberpunk 2077 does not require one universal solution for this type of objective. A stealth-focused V can use concealment, distraction and silent takedowns, while a netrunner can combine quickhacks with environmental cover. Weapon-focused builds can instead establish a defensible position and remove threats before advancing.

The objective marker remains the most reliable guide once V is inside the site. Because the exact prototype container and enemy layout are not verified here, the safest general method is to search within the marked zone, check for an interaction prompt and wait for the objective to update before beginning the extraction.

What works and what does not

Strengths

The scrapyard setting rewards players who use cover and reconnaissance rather than treating every objective as a straight corridor.
The mission’s retrieval structure fits a wide range of Cyberpunk 2077 builds, including stealth, netrunner and direct-combat approaches.
The operation gives environmental navigation a larger role than a simple point-to-point conversation mission.

Weaknesses

Clutter can make enemy positions and the correct interaction point difficult to read during a first attempt.
A loud approach may become inefficient when V advances into the yard without first securing a defensible position.
The precise reward package and any unique prototype properties are not verified in the available source material.

Best uses

Stealth builds can use the scrapyard’s obstructions to control lines of sight.
Netrunners can create distance and use cover while weakening or distracting opposition.
Combat builds should secure a fallback position before triggering the objective interaction.

Checklist

Confirm that Prototype in the Scraper is active in the journal.The mission objective should identify the relevant Dogtown operation.
Prepare a preferred infiltration or combat loadout.No single build is confirmed to be required.
Save before entering the scrapyard.This provides a fallback if the first approach fails.
Survey the perimeter before crossing open ground.Identify cover, hostile sightlines and a possible exit.
Locate the marked prototype objective.Stay inside the objective area until the interaction becomes available.
Confirm the mission objective updates after recovery.Do not leave the area before the game registers the pickup.
Plan the extraction before starting the handoff.Returning through a known route reduces navigation risk.
Verify mission completion in the journal.Use the completion state rather than the map position as confirmation.

Failure conditions

V is defeatedAs with other combat missions, V must survive the operation. Use cover, healing and retreat routes rather than allowing multiple hostile positions to converge.
V abandons the active objectiveMoving too far from the mission area or leaving before the prototype interaction is registered can prevent progress until V returns to the marked location.
The prototype interaction is not completedReaching the objective area is not necessarily enough. Wait for the interaction and the subsequent objective update before beginning the extraction.

On failure

Checkpoint behaviour and exact restart locations are not verified in the supplied source material.

Characters in this mission

Aftermath

Check the journal after the handoff

Once the prototype has been recovered and the final objective is complete, verify that Prototype in the Scraper is marked as finished before leaving Dogtown. The exact follow-up dialogue, payment and wider consequences are not verified in the available source material.

Trivia

The mission title identifies the scrapyard as the defining location and the prototype as the central objective.
Prototype in the Scraper is associated with Dogtown’s fixer-driven content rather than the main Phantom Liberty critical path.
The operation’s environment makes route planning and cover management relevant even when the player chooses a direct-combat solution.

Relationships

characters

Mr. HandsMission giverThe fixer associated with the assignment.

locations

DogtownLocationThe district containing the scrapyard operation.

expansions

Phantom LibertyExpansion contentThe expansion context for the mission.