Cyberpunk 2077 co-op — NightCoop setup

1. Three things that must match

Everyone on PC with a GOG, Steam or Epic copy. Xbox and PlayStation copies cannot run this mod — console mods go through a different system that has no co-op mods.
Same game patch: 2.5 (current, what every store installs today) or 2.31 (only if you deliberately pinned the older patch). Check yours: game main menu, version number top-right.
Same NightCoop build: currently 0.2.0-beta (protocol 164). Different protocol numbers cannot join each other's sessions.

Phantom Liberty is optional — if someone doesn't own it, the host gets a prompt to restart the session without the expansion. No files to delete.

2. Ways to install — pick one

EASIEST · LET YOUR AI AGENT DO IT

If you have an AI agent that can run commands on your PC (Hermes, Claude Code, Cursor, Copilot — anything with shell access), paste this in and it does the whole install:

Install the NightCoop co-op mod for Cyberpunk 2077 on this PC.

1. Download the installer script from https://cp2077-coop.pages.dev/Install-NightCoop.ps1 and read it first.
2. Find my Cyberpunk 2077 install (GOG, Steam or Epic) and check whether my patch is 2.5 or 2.31.
3. Run it with -StageOnly first and show me the SHA-256 it verified against the official manifest at https://nightcoop.net/releases.json.
4. If my store client is still downloading the game, wait until no *.download files remain, then run it for real.
5. Verify red4ext\plugins\NightCoop\NightCoop.dll exists in my game folder and report the result. Do not skip the SHA-256 check.

The script only writes NightCoop's own files (bin\x64\winmm.dll, red4ext\, r6\scripts\) into the game folder, backs up your saves first, and refuses to install if the download's hash doesn't match the official manifest.

ONE COMMAND (NO AGENT)

Right-click Start → Terminal (or Windows PowerShell), paste this, press Enter:

powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Command "iwr https://cp2077-coop.pages.dev/Install-NightCoop.ps1 -OutFile $env:TEMP\Install-NightCoop.ps1; & $env:TEMP\Install-NightCoop.ps1"

It finds the game, detects your patch, downloads the matching official build from nightcoop.net, verifies the SHA-256, backs up your saves, installs, and confirms NightCoop.dll is in place.

MANUAL — SIX STEPS

Step 1 · Find your game folder

Store	How	Typical path
Steam	Library → right-click Cyberpunk 2077 → Manage → Browse local files	`…\steamapps\common\Cyberpunk 2077`
GOG	GOG Galaxy → Cyberpunk 2077 → Manage → Show folder (or the shortcut's "Open file location")	wherever you chose, e.g. `E:\gog library\Cyberpunk 2077`
Epic	Epic launcher → Library → the three dots on the game → Manage → folder icon	`…\Epic Games\Cyberpunk 2077`

You're in the right folder if it contains bin and archive.

Step 2 · Check your patch

Start the game — the version number is top-right on the main menu. 2.5 is the current patch; 2.31 is the previous one.

Step 3 · Download the build for your patch

Go to nightcoop.net/download.html and take the newest build whose filename matches your patch:

NightCoop-0.2.0-beta-2.5.zip — for patch 2.5
NightCoop-0.2.0-beta-2.31.zip — for patch 2.31

Everyone in the session must run the same build. Older builds stay on that page, so you can match a friend group.

Step 4 · Verify the download (30 seconds)

On the download page, copy the SHA-256 next to your build, then in PowerShell:

Get-FileHash .\NightCoop-0.2.0-beta-2.5.zip -Algorithm SHA256

The hash must match exactly. If it doesn't, the file is damaged or was replaced — download it again from nightcoop.net, not from a mirror or a Discord attachment.

Step 5 · Extract it into the game folder

Unzip the archive straight into the game folder (the one with bin and archive) and agree to merge/replace. You should end up with:

bin\x64\winmm.dll (RED4ext's loader)
red4ext\RED4ext.dll
red4ext\plugins\NightCoop\NightCoop.dll ← the important one

A common mistake is extracting into a nested folder (…\Cyberpunk 2077\NightCoop-0.2.0-beta\bin). If the Co-op menu item doesn't appear, that's almost always why.

Step 6 · Back up your saves, then launch

Copy this folder somewhere safe (it's tiny):

%USERPROFILE%\Saved Games\CD Projekt Red\Cyberpunk 2077

Play in Borderless window mode — in exclusive fullscreen Alt-Tab hangs the frame for a second or two.

3. Playing together

Host

Main menu → Co-op → Host a session
Pick a save or start a new game; everyone marks Ready
Copy invite puts a one-line code + server in your clipboard — send it to the group

Guest

Main menu → Co-op → Join by code
Type or paste (Ctrl+V) the invite line
You load into the host's world with your own V — looks, level, gear and cyberware come with you

What's shared, what's yours

Shared	Yours
Quests, NPCs and the city state (the host's save), combat, cars, cutscenes, weather. Story choices pass by majority vote.	Your character, level, gear, cyberware, inventory, ripperdocs and vendors. Trading is personal.

The host can switch PvP on mid-session. A downed player can be revived — 0.2.0 makes reviving cost one healing charge. A guest's own campaign save is never overwritten.

4. When something's wrong

Symptom	Fix
No Co-op item in the main menu	`NightCoop.dll` isn't at `<game>\red4ext\plugins\NightCoop\NightCoop.dll` — usually a nested folder from unzipping. Check `red4ext\logs\` for what RED4ext loaded.
Can't join a friend's session	Different build/protocol or different game patch. Compare both, and make sure you both grabbed the same `0.2.0-beta` zip.
Crash or freeze	Logs: `red4ext\logs\` and `red4ext\plugins\NightCoop\logs\` (last-minutes crash/hang logs). Report bugs on the NightCoop Discord.
Rough framerate / 1s hitches	Turn off the Discord overlay and frame generation; RT off helps in big sessions.
Store re-downloaded files after you modded	Re-extract the zip into the game folder (30 seconds). Turn off "automatically update" in GOG Galaxy, or let Steam update and re-apply after big patches.

5. Links

nightcoop.net — official site Download page (all builds + SHA-256 checksums) Official install guide + running your own server releases.json — machine-readable build manifest (latest version, protocol, hashes) NightCoop Discord — bug reports, finding people to play with Install-NightCoop.ps1 — the installer script (PowerShell, readable) ChoomLink (Nexus) — the other co-op mod, heavier install

NightCoop is a fan project, not CD Projekt Red. Neither mod works with Xbox/PlayStation copies, and neither has console cross-play.