Within the sprawling, neon-drenched metropolis of Night City, secrets continue to surface years after its digital streets first opened to the public. This vast, chaotic urban landscape, a masterpiece of virtual world-building, still holds surprises for even the most seasoned mercenaries. As of 2026, long after the final chapter of V's story was told with the release of the Phantom Liberty expansion, players are uncovering layers of detail that were initially missed by millions. The city's density and the sheer volume of its interactive elements mean discoveries are a constant, with recent finds ranging from the bizarre—like a hostile vending machine—to the spectacularly atmospheric.
Among these persistent mysteries, one stands out for its city-wide impact: a single, unassuming button with the power to plunge the entire conurbation into a different kind of darkness. Tucked away on the side of a road in the Westbrook district, this forgotten mechanism offers a unique way to experience Night City's ambiance. It is a testament to the developers' dedication to creating a living, reactive world, even in its smallest corners.
The discovery, recently re-shared by the Reddit user Aggressive_Seacock, highlights how easy it is to overlook the finer details in a world so visually overwhelming. The button itself is housed on a small yellow control box adorned with cycling neon messages that cryptically hint at its function. The phrases "Turn out the lights, the party's over," "Baby when the lights go out," and the direct instruction "Press me after dark!" scroll across its surface, a playful invitation masked as ambient street decor.
Activating the Blackout
Pressing this innocuous red button triggers an astonishing effect. It systematically switches off the functional streetlights across Night City's myriad districts. From the corporate canyons of City Center to the cramped alleyways of Watson, the primary municipal lighting winks out, leaving the streets to the mercy of other light sources. The player who rediscovered this feature reported driving through multiple areas to confirm the effect, noting that "where I was, it was off everywhere," suggesting a truly comprehensive blackout.
A City Unfazed
In a characteristic twist that perfectly encapsulates Night City's personality, its citizens display a remarkable lack of reaction to the sudden disappearance of street lighting. This collective nonchalance can be attributed to two factors. Firstly, the denizens of this future are utterly inured to chaos; blackouts, gunfights, and cyberware malfunctions are simply part of the daily fabric of life. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, Night City is never truly dark. The absence of streetlights merely shifts the visual hierarchy, allowing the city's true soul—its endless barrage of commercial neon, holographic advertisements, and glowing signage—to take center stage. The streets become a canvas of colored shadows and reflected light, offering a starkly different, yet equally valid, aesthetic experience.
-
Visual Transformation: The blackout fundamentally alters the city's mood and color palette.
-
Atmospheric Shift: The oppressive glow of corporate ads becomes the dominant light source, enhancing themes of commodification.
-
Gameplay Nuance: While not affecting core mechanics, it changes the ambiance for exploration and photography modes.
Legacy and Future Lights
This discovery serves as a poignant reminder of the depth packed into a game now considered complete. Cyberpunk 2077, with its narrative concluded, continues to live and breathe through such player-driven exploration. The find also resonates with recent advice from CD Projekt Red developers, who suggested aspiring creators should "learn how to mod" to understand game systems deeply. This button feels like a developer's easter egg—a love letter to the world they built and a nod to player curiosity. It is a small system that modders might expand upon, but it exists in its perfect, simple form in the base game.
As the studio shifts its focus to the sequel, currently in development, finds like this underscore the enduring legacy of Night City. It is a place designed not just to be played through, but to be lived in and examined. While the sequel will undoubtedly build its own dense world with new secrets, the original Night City, even years later, still has the power to surprise and delight, one hidden button at a time. The party might be over for V, but for players willing to look, the city's lights can still be turned off for a different kind of nocturnal adventure.