Dogtown is a mess. If you've spent more than five minutes in the Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty expansion, you already know that. It’s a literal walled-off combat zone where the rules of Night City don't apply. But honestly, it’s the side gigs that usually get people killed or, at the very least, incredibly frustrated. One of the most notorious is the "Prototype in the Scraper" gig. It’s not just a fetch quest. It’s a vertical nightmare that forces you to navigate a half-finished construction site crawling with Barghest soldiers and drones.
You get the call from Mr. Hands. He wants you to retrieve a piece of prototype tech—a neural implant—from a Zetatech scraper. Sounds simple? It never is. You're looking for a guy named Hasan, who is essentially a Zetatech defector caught between a rock and a very high place.
Getting Into the Scraper Without Dying Immediately
The Zetatech building is basically a skeletal monument to corporate greed. It’s located in the southern part of Dogtown. When you arrive, you’ll see the entrance is heavily guarded. You could go in guns blazing. Sandevistan on, thermal katana out, blood everywhere. That's one way. But if you're playing on Very Hard, those Barghest turrets will shred you before you can blink.
The smarter move? Look for the scaffolding. There's a way to sneak around the right side of the main entrance. You’ll find a series of platforms that let you bypass the initial kill zone. Once you’re inside the lobby, the verticality starts to matter. You have to use the service elevator. Getting to it requires either a high Technical Ability to hack the doors or some clever jumping. If you've got the reinforced tendons (double jump), you’re going to have a much easier time here.
Most players miss the shard located in the security room near the elevator. It’s not "required," but it explains exactly why Zetatech is so desperate to get this prototype back. It's not just about the money; it’s about a specific piece of software that shouldn't exist yet.
Locating Hasan and the Prototype
Once you ride the elevator up, the mission shifts. You aren't in a lobby anymore; you're in a sprawling, multi-level construction site. The lighting is terrible. There are snipers.
You’ll hear Hasan before you see him. He’s locked in a cell further up. To get to him, you have to pass through the main laboratory area. This is where the prototype in the scraper is actually kept, or rather, where the person wearing it is hiding. You’ll find Hasan in a small room, looking like he’s seen better days. He’s got the prototype stuck in his head.
Wait. Why is he wearing it?
Hasan isn't a thief in the traditional sense. He's an engineer who realized his employers were going to "retire" him once the prototype was finished. So, he did the only thing a desperate man in the dark future would do: he slotted it and ran.
The conversation with Hasan is key. You can be a jerk, or you can actually listen to his story. He’s terrified. He tells you the prototype is malfunctioning and it's basically frying his brain. At this point, you have to escort him out. This is where most people's stealth runs fall apart. Hasan isn't exactly a ninja. He’s a middle-aged techie with a flickering brain.
The Code for the Laptop
To advance the mission, you need to access a computer to lower the security bars. If you don't have the hacking stats, you'll need the code. You can find it on a shard in the nearby kitchen area, or you can just use the number: 2753.
Inputting that code lets you grab the schematics. Don't forget the schematics. If you leave without them, Mr. Hands is going to be annoyed, and you might miss out on the full payout.
The Choice: What to Do With Hasan?
This is the "Cyberpunk" moment. The game stops being a shooter and starts being a moral quandary. Once you get Hasan out of the building and down to the street level, you have to call Mr. Hands.
Hands wants the prototype. He doesn't care about Hasan.
You have three real options here, and they have actual consequences for your inventory later on:
- Deliver Hasan to the Zetatech Fixer: This is the "professional" choice. You hand Hasan over, he likely gets his brain scooped out, and you get paid. It's cold. It's very Night City.
- Call Mr. Hands and let him handle it: You tell Hands that Hasan is part of the deal. Hands is a man of business. He’ll take Hasan into "custody."
- Tell Mr. Hands to let Hasan go but take the prototype: This requires some convincing. You're basically asking Hands to do a favor. If you have the right dialogue choices, Hands will set Hasan up with a new life (and a new identity) as long as you deliver the hardware.
If you choose to save Hasan, wait a few in-game days. You’ll get a follow-up message. Hasan actually sends you a gift: the Ambition Iconic Tech Pistol. This gun is incredible. It has a built-in scope and a chance to blind enemies on hit. If you turned him in to Zetatech? You get nothing but some eddies and a dirty conscience.
Tactical Advice for the Scraper Combat
If things go south—and they usually do—remember that the scraper is full of environmental hazards. There are explosive canisters everywhere. Use your Quickhacks to detonate them from a distance. If you're a Netrunner, "Initiate Overload" on the various machinery can clear half a room without you firing a single bullet.
Watch out for the drones. They hover in the open gaps of the building's exterior. If they spot you, they’ll pin you down while the Barghest soldiers flank you from the stairs. Always stay moving. The verticality is your friend if you use it, but your enemy if you get trapped on a single walkway.
Honestly, the hardest part isn't the shooting. It's the navigation. The map in Cyberpunk 2077 isn't great with multi-level buildings. If you get lost, look for the yellow power cables on the floor. They usually lead to consoles or quest objectives.
Actionable Steps for Your Playthrough
To get the most out of the prototype in the scraper mission, follow this sequence:
- Prep for Verticality: Equip reinforced tendons or a high-mobility Cyberdeck. You’ll need to move fast and jump high.
- The Code: Use 2753 on the laptop to bypass the security lock quickly.
- The Schematics: Ensure you loot the Zetatech schematics from the container near Hasan’s cell before leaving the room.
- Save Hasan: Choose the dialogue option to have Mr. Hands help Hasan disappear. This is the only way to get the Iconic weapon "Ambition."
- Check Your Mail: Wait 48 to 72 in-game hours after the mission. Check your messages and follow the map marker to collect your reward from Hasan’s dead drop.
This mission serves as a perfect microcosm of what makes Phantom Liberty better than the base game. It takes a standard mercenary contract and injects it with a messy, human element that makes you question whether the money is worth the cost of someone's life. Plus, the pistol is really, really good.