Players have been modifying their games ever since the very first Pong consoles arrived for use at home. Since then, tech-savvy gamers and amateur developers have been adding their own creative flair to their favorite games through these mods.
While some mods are unfortunately never finished, like the Game of Thrones mod fans were developing to bring Westeros to Skyrim, many land within days of release, sometimes with a touch of controversy for one reason or another. However, in most cases, mods are heavily accepted by players and one of the highest selling points of PC gaming.
2019 was a great year in general for games, and as such, when players flock to those games then so do modders. Some of the more notable mods of this year are still works in progress, like the adorable Baby Yoda mod that lands The Mandelorian's famous Child in Star Wars: Battlefront 2 as a playable hero. However, there have been even more fan creations to release this year, thanks in part to the stellar selections of games that have launched since January.
Agumon as Charmander (Pokemon Sword and Shield)
One of the most common types of mod involves swapping out character models for fan made skins, sometimes complete with a brand new mesh to accommodate the all new character. In the case of this Pokemon Sword and Shield mod, players are allowed to play out one of their oldest dreams, by adding Digimon's flagship monster Agumon in place of Charmander. The mod even replaces Charmander's evolutions with Agumon's digivolutions, allowing players to control Greymon, Metalgreymon, and even Wargreymon.
There don't seem to be any other Digimon available to be inserted into Pokemon Sword and Shield just yet, but the modder responsible for Agumon's appearance seems to be hard at work altering the new game. It might not be to far in the future that Gatomon or Gabumon will join the ranks, replacing more Pokemon and finally appearing in a best-selling title.
Easy Mode (Sekiro)
The inclusion of the Easy Mode mod that modders implemented in the midst of the controversy surrounding whether or not Sekiro needed an easier setting, isn't necessarily an assertion of either side of that argument. Clearly, the game that took home Game of the Year from The Game Awards is fairly well built on its own, and players have been able to beat the game with impressive runs. However, for players looking for a new experience on a returning playthrough, it can be fun to breeze through enemies that previously pounded them into the dirt, repeatedly.
The mod itself isn't even necessarily meant to be an Easy mode specifically, instead describing itself as an optimization mod. However, one of the "quality of life" changes slows the speed of enemies while keeping the player's speed the same as before. In addition to the speed change, the mod also includes ultra-widescreen support, field of view customization, and a death counter.
Henry Cavill as Geralt (The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt)
The brand new The Witcher series has quickly become one of Netflix's highest rated shows, likely due to the success of the latest game based on the same book the series draws its inspiration from. As a result, players have been flocking to both watch the new show and return to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Thanks to a recent mod, it is actually possible to do both at once, with the addition of a mod that replaces the familiar face of Geralt with Henry Cavill, the actor who plays the same character in the show.
On the topic of Witcher 3Â mods, just to show how quickly and frequently these fan creations appear, an amazing new mod released just recently. The new mod dubbed The Witcher 3 Redux offers a whole new way for players to challenge the harsh world of Witcher 3 with a more "realistic" style of gameplay. For players looking to return to the game with the newly chiseled face, this Redux may even give a more authentic feeling of playing through the Netflix series.
Limbo (Borderlands 3)
As one of the biggest games of 2019, Borderlands 3 was an instant magnet for Mods, although its multiplayer nature makes modifying the game's mechanics a bit tricky. Instead, a cleaver fan decided to take the extremely colorful galaxy of Borderlands and set it to the drab black and white aesthetic of Limbo. The result is unreal to say the least, turning the vibrant cell-shaded visuals of Borderlands into a series of haunting silhouettes that proves how powerful art design can impact horror, even when it was never meant to be horror.
The trailer for the mod showcases how the new look affects Athenas and the long gunfight that leads the player through the now haunting temples and gardens of the sacred land. While the mod does certainly remove some of the most popular aspects of the game, like the cell-shaded graphics and colorful loot drops, it makes for a surreal new experience. This isn't the kind of thing for a first playthrough, but then again that is the case with most mods.
Pennywise as Mr. X (Resident Evil 2)
One creative player fused two of 2019's most terrifying horror franchises, bringing It's shapeshifting Pennywise into Resident Evil 2. This Mod is one of many that swaps out the character model of the daunting Mr. X for Pennywise, instead making the fedora wearing titan a shapeshifter instead of the killer clown. Not surprisingly, the result is absolutely terrifying, as a hulking Pennywise comes screaming through the halls of the RCPD.
While Pennywise does easily come on top as the most terrifying replacement for Mr. X, that title does come out of a rather large collection of model swaps for the terrifying mutant. From Thomas the Tank Engine to the Goose from Untitled Goose Game, fans have been quick to do whatever they can to update and upgrade Mr. X to all knew heights.
Shaggy Mods (Super Smash Bros. Ultimate & Jump Force)
Shaggy Rogers from the Scooby-Doo franchise has found new fame as one of the most highly requested fighting game characters to never appear in a fighting game. Thanks to the Ultra Instinct Shaggy memes and a strangely epic fight sequence from 2011's Scooby-Doo! Legend of the Phantosaur, players once petitioned to get the character added to games like Mortal Kombat 11, which Ed Boon shot down after some teasing.
Both games are massive crossover titles with dozens of characters from multiple different franchises to choose from, seemingly making them a perfect place to fit Ultra Instinct Shaggy in as a top tier fighter. Considering that the "Ultra Instinct" title the meme uses draws from Dragon Ball Z makes Jump Force Shaggy's perfect home, where Goku is one of the playable characters. Although, the "demo" for Shaggy's debut in Smash Ultimate imagines him as a alternate Captain Falcon.
Shrek as Chained Ogre (Sekiro)
Another big mod this year was a model swap in Sekiro, changing the early boss Chainged Ogre with the world's most famous ogre, Shrek, and much like the Pennywise mod from Resident Evil 2, this makes for an even more terrifying experience than the game's intended design.
Fortunately, the fight doesn't play any different than it did before, but that doesn't mean that it won't be horrifying as Shrek bites the player's head off and throws them off the side of a cliff. While the mod does specify replacing the Chained Ogre, it is possible for players to replace other enemies and bosses to varying degrees of success, like the fan favorite Guardian Ape.
Tesla Cybertruck (GoldenEye 007)
Tesla revealed the Cybertruck this year to extremely mixed reviews, with viewers relating it to low-poly vehicles from older games or even to the Halo series' warthog. However, one creative fan actually took the extra step to insert the Cybertruck into GoldenEye 007. Surprising absolutely nobody, the oddly shaped vehicle fits into the retro game as if it was originally designed for N64 graphics.
A short video by the modder showcases the Cybertruck mod, complete with a virtual Elon Musk to hype up the new vehicle. Players can even drive around in the vehicle and fight off Russian agents in "style" while running over and shooting enemy combatants.
Undead Nightmare 2 (Red Dead Redemption 2)
The original Red Dead Redemption boasts a large DLC with the Undead Nightmare campaign that pits John Marston against an undead horde. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like Red Dead Redemption 2 will be getting anything similar to the game's offline story mode, but one modder has taken it upon themselves to bring zombies to Red Dead 2. While this doesn't give the same experience as a full DLC, it can give players a taste of a long awaited sequel/prequel to Undead Nightmare.
Dubbed Undead Nightmare 2, this mod turns regular NPCs into shambling zombies and sends them flailing towards Arthur Morgan. With rumors circling around a real Undead Nightmare 2 already, this mod may be just what Rockstar needs to see to start working on a brand new chapter for Red Dead 2. Even if it isn't, PC players can still have some fun mowing down zombies with their favorite revolvers and repeaters.
Waluigi (Super Smash Bros. Ultimate)
Waluigi's absence from Super Smash Bros. Ultimate may be one of the biggest snubs in the last decade of gaming. The fan-favorite character garnered enough attention for players to send around a fairly massive petition to include him in the latest title in the series, but one fan has once again take matters into their own hands, much like the Shaggy mod from above.
Now thanks to a new mod, Waluigi has finally joined the Smash Ultimate roster. While the character still isn't available for regulation play in Super Smash tournaments or for players unwilling to mod their Switch, he is at least there in more spirit now than being a Spirit. Granted, as mentioned before with mods possibly influencing developers, it is possible that the attention Waluigi has garnered might influence Nintendo in the future, but fans shouldn't get their hopes up.