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MissionsupportingSide missionModerate

Talent Academy

Talent Academy is a Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty side mission in which V investigates a Dogtown training facility and the treatment of its promising young athletes.

RoleInvestigation and infiltration mission
StatusAvailable as a side mission in Dogtown
Importancesupporting
RewardFixer payment and mission-completion rewards
  • GameCyberpunk 2077
  • ExpansionPhantom Liberty
  • Mission typeSide mission
  • DistrictDogtown
  • Primary contactMr. Hands
  • Recommended approachStealth, investigation, or combat
  • DifficultyModerate

This summary uses model-derived information and has not been checked against an editorial gameplay run.

Key takeaways

Keep the following points in mind before entering the academy.

  • Treat it as an investigation The mission is not only a shootout. Read the environment, search restricted spaces, and listen to the people involved before deciding how to finish the job.
  • Stealth is useful but not mandatory A quiet approach can preserve room for exploration and conversation, while a combat approach remains viable if the infiltration is exposed.
  • Look beyond the public story Talent Academy presents itself as a place for developing promising athletes, but the mission asks V to examine the commercial arrangements beneath that image.
  • Conversation can matter as much as combat The way V handles the central discussion can change the mission's outcome, so do not skip dialogue if you want to understand the available choices.
  • Expect a fixer-style reward The job concludes as a contract for Mr. Hands, with payment and normal mission-completion rewards rather than a campaign-ending change to Night City.

Talent Academy

Talent Academy is a Phantom Liberty side mission built around infiltration, investigation, and a morally uncomfortable look at how Dogtown turns young talent into marketable assets.

Mr. Hands sends V to investigate Talent Academy, a training facility in Dogtown associated with ambitious young athletes and powerful commercial interests. The mission begins as a straightforward job to enter the facility and obtain information, but its subject matter makes the assignment more complicated than a routine theft. V is asked to look past the academy's public image and determine what is happening behind its controlled entrances and polished presentation.

The mission rewards players who combine stealth, observation, and conversation. The academy can be approached as a hostile infiltration site, but not every problem needs to be solved with open combat. Exploring the facility, locating restricted areas, and speaking with the people who run it can provide context that is easy to miss if V rushes directly toward the objective marker.

Talent Academy is also a choice-sensitive mission. V's handling of the academy's information and the conversation surrounding it can affect the tone and practical result of the job. Because the mission deals with exploitation and the value placed on young performers, the most obvious corporate or fixer-friendly solution is not necessarily the only one available.

Where this sits

Fixer assignmentMr. Hands provides the job
Facility infiltrationEnter and investigate Talent Academy
Decision pointChoose how to handle the academy's information
Job conclusionReport the result and collect the contract reward
  1. 1Accept the assignmentmission_startSpeak with Mr. Hands when the mission is available.
  2. 2Reach Talent AcademytravelTravel through Dogtown to the academy facility.
  3. 3Investigate the academyinvestigationSearch for restricted information and evidence about its operation.
  4. ●Resolve the central confrontationchoiceUse infiltration, combat, and dialogue to decide how the job proceeds.
  5. 5Complete the contractmission_endLeave the facility and close out the assignment with Mr. Hands.

Talent Academy is a self-contained Dogtown investigation rather than a main-story finale.

Requirements

The mission requires access to Dogtown through Phantom Liberty and becomes available as a fixer assignment from Mr. Hands.

  • RequiredPhantom Liberty accessTalent Academy is associated with the Dogtown content introduced by the Phantom Liberty expansion.
  • RequiredReach DogtownV must be able to travel through Dogtown and reach the academy's surrounding area.
  • RequiredMr. Hands' assignmentThe mission is started through Mr. Hands rather than from a random world encounter.
  • RecommendedA flexible buildStealth, hacking, combat, and dialogue can all contribute to the infiltration, so no single build is required.

Objectives

  1. Meet the requirements for Mr. Hands' assignment.The job begins through the Dogtown fixer and leads V toward Talent Academy.
  2. Reach Talent Academy.Travel to the academy and identify a way inside without assuming that the front entrance is the only route.
  3. Find information about the academy's activities.Search the facility and follow the mission markers through the restricted portions of the site.
  4. Decide how to handle what you uncover.The mission's central resolution is shaped by V's approach to the academy and its representatives.
  5. Finish the contract.Complete the selected resolution and collect the resulting fixer payment.

Walkthrough

  1. 01

    Start the mission

    Accept Talent Academy from Mr. Hands

    Contact Mr. Hands in Dogtown and listen to the briefing before leaving for the academy. His instructions establish the investigation's purpose, so letting the conversation finish helps identify what information V is expected to obtain.

    Location: Dogtown

    TipUse the journal objective to place a waypoint before crossing Dogtown; the academy is easier to approach when the route is planned in advance.

    Checkpoint
  2. 02

    Reach Talent Academy

    Travel to the academy perimeter

    Follow the mission marker to Talent Academy and observe the facility before entering. The site is presented as an operating training institution, so the public-facing route may look safer than the restricted areas V ultimately needs to reach.

    Location: Outside Talent Academy

    TipScan the entrance area and nearby paths before drawing a weapon. A deliberate approach makes it easier to identify guards, cameras, and alternate access points.

  3. 03

    Infiltrate the facility

    Enter Talent Academy

    Get inside the facility using the route available to your build and playstyle. If security notices V, the mission can turn into a combat infiltration; if the approach remains quiet, V has more time to search and understand the site before the situation escalates.

    Location: Talent Academy entrance

    Watch outDo not assume that entering the first accessible room completes the infiltration objective. Continue following the mission marker and look for the transition into the academy's restricted areas.

    Checkpoint
  4. 04

    Investigate the academy

    Search the public and restricted areas

    Move through the academy and investigate the spaces connected to the objective. The important information is not necessarily placed on the most direct path, so check terminals, rooms, and access points that the mission directs V toward instead of sprinting past them.

    Location: Inside Talent Academy

    TipUse quickhacks, cameras, and environmental scanning to identify threats before opening restricted doors. This is especially useful when trying to preserve a non-lethal or conversational route.

  5. 05

    Find the mission evidence

    Reach the academy's inner operation

    Continue deeper into the facility until V reaches the area where the academy's business is represented most clearly. Expect the mission to combine ordinary security with story-critical interactions; defeating every guard is less important than reaching the required evidence or contact.

    Location: Restricted section of Talent Academy

    Watch outA loud attack can remove opportunities to inspect the facility calmly. Save before pushing into the restricted section if you want to compare an aggressive approach with a quieter resolution.

    Checkpoint
  6. 06

    Confront the academy's operation

    Speak with the academy representative

    When the mission presents its central conversation, hear the representative out before selecting a response. The discussion explains how Talent Academy treats its athletes and frames the choice V must make about the information gathered inside the facility.

    Location: Talent Academy interior

    TipDialogue choices are more meaningful here than they first appear. If you are pursuing a specific ethical outcome, avoid skipping the conversation or selecting a response before reading the available options.

  7. 07

    Resolve the investigation

    Choose how to handle the information

    Decide whether to prioritize the contract's immediate objective, cooperate with the academy's proposed solution, or pursue a more independent result. The exact outcome depends on the available dialogue and mission state, so the safest way to test alternatives is to reload a save made before the confrontation.

    Location: Talent Academy

    Watch outThis is the mission's principal choice point. Make a manual save before committing if preserving the different outcomes matters to you.

    Checkpoint
  8. 08

    Exit the facility

    Leave Talent Academy

    After the confrontation, follow the updated objective out of the facility. Security may remain hostile if the infiltration became a firefight, while a quieter completion can make the exit less disruptive; in either case, leave the marked mission area rather than continuing to search indefinitely.

    Location: Talent Academy exit

  9. 09

    Complete Talent Academy

    Close the job with Mr. Hands

    Complete the final objective and report the result through the mission's closing sequence. Once the contract is resolved, the mission rewards are issued and Talent Academy is recorded as complete in V's journal.

    Location: Dogtown

    Checkpoint

Mission mechanics

Talent Academy is structured as a contained infiltration space rather than a long traversal mission. The academy has a public identity and controlled interior areas, which encourages V to move between observation, access, and confrontation instead of treating every room as a conventional combat arena.

Build choice affects convenience more than access. Stealth and quickhacks help V control sightlines and security, combat handles an exposed approach, and strong dialogue options support the mission's investigative side. None of these approaches should be treated as the sole intended solution.

The mission's most important mechanic is the relationship between information and choice. Exploring first gives V more context for the later discussion, while rushing directly to the objective can reduce the player's understanding of what is at stake even if the mission remains completable.

What works and what does not

Strengths

  • The confined academy setting gives the mission a clear investigative identity.
  • The job supports stealth, hacking, combat, and conversation rather than enforcing one build.
  • Its subject matter creates a meaningful conflict between a fixer contract and the people affected by the academy's operation.
  • Environmental exploration adds context to the final decision.

Weaknesses

  • The mission's objective can feel vague if V follows markers without reading or inspecting the surrounding facility.
  • Players who want a large set-piece battle may find the investigation and dialogue more prominent than the combat.
  • The practical differences between outcomes are easy to miss without a save before the central conversation.

Best uses

  • Approach Talent Academy as a stealth-and-investigation mission on the first playthrough.
  • Use quickhacks and camera access to map security before choosing whether to fight.
  • Make a manual save before the decisive conversation if you want to examine the available consequences.

Phases

  1. 1

    Approach and security

    Starts: V reaches the academy perimeter.

    The opening phase is about finding a safe route into the facility and understanding the security layout.

    • Detection and gunfireTell Guards or security systems react when V is seen in a restricted area.Answer Break line of sight, disable security with quickhacks, or commit to the resulting fight.
    • Check the environment before crossing the entrance.
    • Do not treat the public entrance as proof that the entire facility is safe.
  2. 2

    Restricted-area infiltration

    Starts: V enters the interior section connected to the mission objective.

    The mission shifts from reaching the building to locating the information and people tied to the investigation.

    • Patrol pressureTell Security patrols can interrupt exploration when V moves through controlled spaces.Answer Use cover, cameras, distractions, and alternate routes, or clear the area methodically.
    • Search objective-adjacent rooms before leaving the area.
    • Keep a manual save before the central interaction.
  3. 3

    Confrontation and resolution

    Starts: V reaches the academy's representative and the mission's evidence becomes actionable.

    The final phase is driven primarily by conversation and decision-making rather than a named boss encounter.

    • EscalationTell A hostile response or previously triggered alarm can turn the final sequence into combat.Answer Use dialogue where available, or create distance and rely on cover if the scene becomes violent.
    • Read every response before choosing.
    • The mission's conclusion reflects how V handles the information, not only how many enemies were defeated.

Choices and consequencesSpoilers

  • Investigate the academy before committing to a response

    V gains more context for the situation and can make the final decision with a clearer understanding of the people and interests involved.

    Spoiler
  • Follow the contract's immediate objective

    The mission can be resolved in a way that prioritizes the assignment given by Mr. Hands, producing the expected fixer-job conclusion.

    Spoiler
  • Challenge the academy's representative during the final discussion

    V can pursue a more independent or ethically oppositional resolution instead of accepting the institution's presentation at face value.

    Spoiler
  • Trigger open combat during the infiltration

    The academy becomes a conventional hostile area for the remainder of the active encounter, reducing the room available for a quiet investigation but not necessarily preventing completion.

    Spoiler

Checklist

  • Accept the assignment from Mr. HandsThe mission begins through the Dogtown fixer.
  • Reach Talent AcademyUse the journal marker to locate the facility.
  • Inspect the approach before enteringLook for security and alternate access instead of rushing through the first entrance.
  • Investigate the restricted areasFollow the objective while checking nearby terminals and rooms.
  • Listen to the academy representativeThe conversation supplies context for the final decision.
  • Save before the central choiceUseful if you want to compare outcomes.
  • Resolve the missionSelect an approach and complete the resulting objective.
  • Leave the academyFollow the updated marker after the confrontation.
  • Collect the fixer paymentFinish the closing sequence for Mr. Hands.

Failure conditions

  • V is killed during the infiltrationAs with other combat-capable missions in Cyberpunk 2077, death reloads the most recent save or checkpoint.
  • V abandons the active mission areaMoving too far away or ignoring the objective can interrupt progress and require returning to Talent Academy.
  • A security response overwhelms VBeing detected is not automatically a mission failure, but an uncontrolled firefight can become fatal and force a reload.
  • A decisive dialogue choice is confirmedThe central conversation may close off alternative outcomes, which is why a manual save is recommended before committing.

On failure

Checkpoint behavior can vary with the exact stage of the mission and the player's approach. The source pack does not provide a complete checkpoint list.

Rewards

  • Fixer payment
    Completing the contract provides payment associated with Mr. Hands' assignment.
  • Mission-completion progression
    Finishing the mission advances V's Dogtown activity and records Talent Academy as completed.
  • Loot from the facility
    Any ordinary equipment or consumables found during the infiltration depend on the rooms V searches and are not treated here as guaranteed mission rewards.

Characters in this mission

AftermathSpoilers

The result depends on how V handles the academy

Talent Academy does not reduce cleanly to a single combat victory. The information V uncovers and the way V responds to the academy's representative shape the tone of the conclusion, so the mission is worth replaying from a save made before the final conversation if you want to see its alternatives.

Trivia

  • Talent Academy is one of the Phantom Liberty missions that uses Dogtown's commercial and institutional spaces as the setting for a moral investigation.
  • The mission's strongest route is not determined solely by combat strength; stealth tools, environmental awareness, and dialogue all have practical value.
  • The academy's public-facing role as a training facility contrasts with the more troubling questions V is asked to investigate inside it.

Relationships

characters

  • Fiona VargasInvolvesFiona Vargas is connected to the academy's central discussion.