Highlights
- The new DLC expansion for Cyberpunk 2077 features the return of familiar character Mr. Hands, who plays a key role in obtaining a plan to sneak into the Black Sapphire.
- Many fans are questioning the major changes made to Mr. Hands in the DLC and update 2.0, as they enjoyed his old personality and appearance.
- The change in Mr. Hands may have been due to scheduling conflicts with the original voice actor, but nothing is confirmed.
The new DLC expansion for Cyberpunk 2077 may feature plenty of new characters, but a few old faces make their return as well. When V arrives into Dogtown, one of the first calls players get is from the faceless Mr. Hands, a fixer that the merc could rely on for jobs every so often. It may sound like Mr. Hands is just a convenient source of side quests at first, but interacting with him is actually how V gets the plan to sneak into the Black Sapphire after completing jobs like the hilarious Waiting For Dodger quest.
As much as the fixers in Cyberpunk 2077 have varying degrees of importance in the game, characters such as them and ripperdocs naturally have their fans for many different reasons. Those who liked Mr. Hands, however, were in for a bit of a surprise when the Phantom Liberty DLC and update 2.0 launched. The enigmatic fixer was given an entirely new look, model, voice, and even a personality change between now and the base game, which has left many players wondering why this sudden change occurred.
Mr. Hands in Cyberpunk 2077
It's understandable as to why many fans are questioning just why Mr. Hands was changed so much with 2.0 and the DLC as the character was quite fine as he was. In fact, many people liked the tricky duality that was his old aloof, yet mean-spirited personality that was seen in the fast-talking fixer. While Mr. Hands still remains rather smug in Cyberpunk 2077 after the updates, he comes off more as a chaotic voice giving V cryptic directions rather than someone who was trained in their trade and lived by the understanding that talk is cheap and time is money.
The new version in Phantom Liberty replaces the original character as of update 2.0, albeit with flaws. Some fans are reporting that their first few calls with Mr. Hands are the same as they ever were, only for it to switch further down the game. This only brings more attention to the adjustment, as new Cyberpunk 2077 players who got the game for Phantom Liberty still get to know the original version of the fixer before being saddled with the new one just a few moments later, never seeing the first Mr. Hands ever again. The new version plays a role in Phantom Liberty's story, even meeting with V in person after taking a few gigs from him.
Why Was Mr. Hands Changed in Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty?
Many game development decisions remain behind closed doors. It's hard to say exactly what happened to Mr. Hands without a proper announcement from CD Projekt Red, or either of the character's voice actors, the new Alex Jordan and the former Sean Power. It's possible there was a disagreement behind CDPR and Power that led to this change. Due to the lack of evidence that CDPR and Power ran into a disagreement, however, the situation was likely just a matter of scheduling conflicts.
Phantom Liberty takes place in the Pacifica area, which is Mr. Hands' prime area of operation. CRPR likely took that as a good reason as to bring him into the spotlight and give fans a chance to meet the man behind the hands. When it came time to record, the voice actor might not have been available, as Power is also a physical actor, writer, and more. These situations happen all the time and end rather amicably, which leaves the Cyberpunk 2077 fixer with a new voice for old and new fans to grow to love as much as they did the previous one.
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty is available now for PC, PlS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
