Experiencing issues with quickhacking in Cyberpunk 2077 can seriously disrupt your gameplay, especially if you’re relying on stealth and netrunning tactics. Many players have reported encountering a frustrating bug where the quickhack menu simply disappears when scanning enemies. If you’re facing this problem and wondering “why can’t I quickhack in Cyberpunk?”, you’re not alone. This guide will walk you through a common scenario, potential causes, and troubleshooting steps to get you back to hacking in Night City.
Common Quickhack Problem After Boss Fights
One specific situation where players frequently encounter this quickhack malfunction is after certain boss encounters, particularly the fight in Maiko’s penthouse above The Clouds against the Tyger Claws. After this confrontation, or similar intense combat scenarios, the ability to quickhack enemies can seemingly vanish.
The symptoms are quite distinct: when you scan an enemy, the usual quickhack menu on the left side of the screen fails to appear. Instead, you are only presented with the basic information tab on the right, detailing enemy stats and resistances, but lacking any options to deploy quickhacks. Electronic devices and environmental objects might still be hackable, highlighting that the issue is specifically tied to enemies.
This problem can persist even after leaving the immediate area where the boss fight occurred, affecting gameplay across Night City and making stealth-oriented builds significantly less effective.
Troubleshooting Steps
If you find yourself unable to quickhack enemies after a boss fight or at any point in Cyberpunk 2077, here are a few troubleshooting steps you can try:
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Restart the Game: The simplest solution is often the most effective. Completely close Cyberpunk 2077 and relaunch it. This can clear temporary glitches and restore functionality.
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Visit a Ripperdoc: As suggested by some players, visiting a Ripperdoc and having them “replace” your Operating System (OS) implant, even with the same one, might reset the system and resolve the issue. You can also try swapping out any mods in your cyberware slots. While not always guaranteed to work, this action has helped some players regain their quickhacking abilities.
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Reload a Previous Save: This appears to be the most reliable fix. If the problem started after a specific event, like a boss fight, load a save file from before that event. Progress through the game again from that point. Many players have reported that reloading a save from before the problematic area or encounter resolves the quickhack issue, suggesting it’s a temporary glitch triggered by specific game events or locations.
Possible Causes of the Quickhack Bug
While the exact cause remains unclear, here are some potential theories based on player experiences and observations:
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Game Glitch Triggered by Specific Events: The fact that this issue often arises after boss fights or intense combat suggests that certain in-game events might trigger a glitch that disrupts the quickhack functionality. It’s possible that specific scripts or sequences during these events inadvertently break the player’s ability to interact with enemy quickhack menus.
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Temporary OS Implant Misidentification: One player speculated that the game might mistakenly identify your OS implant as one that lacks quickhack capabilities after certain events. Although switching OS implants or mods doesn’t always fix the problem, this theory points to a potential software-level error in recognizing or assigning player abilities correctly under specific conditions.
Conclusion
Encountering a bug that disables quickhacking in Cyberpunk 2077 can be incredibly frustrating. However, by trying the troubleshooting steps outlined above, particularly reloading an earlier save, you have a good chance of resolving the issue and getting back to your netrunning adventures. While the root cause remains unknown, understanding the common scenarios and potential fixes can help you navigate this glitch and continue enjoying your time in Night City. If the problem persists, reporting the bug to CD Projekt Red with details about when and how it occurred can help them identify and fix the issue in future updates.
