CD Projekt RED has recently given players a new way to install and load mods thanks to a free DLC for Cyberpunk 2077. The new REDmod tool makes it easier than ever to install Cyberpunk 2077 mods and is compatible with existing mods for the game.
Cyberpunk 2077 was one of the most highly anticipated games of 2020, first announced eight years prior in May 2012. Polish developer CD Projekt RED has developed a strong reputation for its bestselling The Witcher series of open-world fantasy RPGs which naturally set high expectations for Cyberpunk 2077. Unfortunately, Cyberpunk 2077 had a rough and controversial launch as players struggled with countless bugs, a lack of meaningful content, and a surprisingly short storyline. As the case tends to be with ambitious open-world RPGs, many of these shortcomings would be addressed by a hard-working and talented modding community devoted to improving the game.
While official modding tools have existed in the form of CD Projekt RED's comprehensive WolvenKit that allows modders to edit game content and create mods for The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077, the installation and loading process was largely done through 3rd party mod managers like Nexus Mods' Vortex tool or through manual installation in the game's archive folder. The new REDmod tool added in this DLC provides integrated support for installing mods and also allows for rearranging the load order of mods, an important troubleshooting feature that can alleviate mod conflicts and prevent game crashes. Players can easily deploy mods by using the REDlauncher included with the game.
REDmod also comes with a Blender plugin that allows modders to work with the game's 3D assets to create things like new animations, and it includes a few example mods to show off this capability. Custom sounds, animations, and scripts are all possible with the tools, giving modders plenty of freedom to create new content. CD Projekt RED also intends to update REDmod side by side with the usual game patches to maintain compatibility. While there are already tons of excellent mods for Cyberpunk 2077, these tools should hopefully expand modders' capabilities.
Since the next Cyberpunk 2077 expansion will likely be the game's last, it's extremely important that a strong foundation for modding is in place in order for the game to thrive in the following years. Modding communities have extended the lives of their favorite games by decades, for example, 2002's The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind which still receives new modded content over 20 years later.
Cyberpunk 2077 is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
