Cyberpunk 2077 Now Has Transmogrification, And Other Games Should Too

It’s fair to say that Cyberpunk 2077 has had a somewhat tumultuous life cycle thus far. When it launched in 2020, the game divided gamers into two camps: those who saw the potential of what it had to offer with a bit of spit and polish, and those who were frustrated because of the promised so-called genre-defining experience. It turned out to be below expectations.

However, CD Projekt Red has done an excellent job of patching and updating the game with quality of life changes and new features that have transformed Cyberpunk 2077 into a much more enjoyable RPG experience. Whether it’s the work done to mitigate the myriad of glitches and bugs that were present at launch, or the next-gen update that made the game’s Night City feel more like the sprawling metropolis it was meant to be, Cyberpunk 2077 is much better. game now than it was before.

Those updates continue with patch 1.6, also known as the Edgerunners update, which is designed to coincide with the upcoming Netflix anime. The patch contains items that will appear in the anime, along with some updates to photo mode (which is absolutely fine with the photographer in me), but the real game-changing update is the introduction of transmogrification.

Transmog is a feature often found in various RPGs that allows players to transfer stats from one piece of gear to another, giving them the ability to sport their ideal style without sacrificing an ideal build. At its core, it’s for gamers who care as much about how their characters look as how they function, and it’s a feature that was sorely needed for a game like Cyberpunk.

The way it works in Cyberpunk 2077 in particular is that players can travel to one of his apartments and access the wardrobe. From here, they can select from all the clothing options available to them to create up to six unique outfits. Players can then switch between these outfits whenever they want, but more importantly, these outfits will overwrite whatever gear you’ve equipped. Essentially, you can have level 50 gear, but use your starting jacket as your outfit.

Although it’s a first-person experience, character customization is a core part of Cyberpunk 2077, however, for the most part, you spend most of the game looking like a neon-painted hipster jerk, just because the flashy gear in Cyberpunk tends to offer the best stats. Being able to transmog your gear to create your ideal character introduction without sacrificing the actual build will make Cyberpunk 2077 a much better experience for many players.

Actually, transmogrification should be a feature considered for most games, or at least those where it would be appropriate. Take fantasy games like Skyrim, for example. As someone who tends to run melee builds that involve swinging a big massive hammer, it would be nice to wear armor that doesn’t look like it weighs six tons. I want the bulky armor stats, because god knows I need that defense if I want to get close enough to hit a frost troll or even a dragon, but it would be nice to use something different for a change.

Of course, there are certain games where transmogrification may not make much sense, particularly those with a PvP experience. Being able to tell at a glance what your opponent is capable of is vital to most multiplayer experiences, so introducing something like transmog might muddy the waters a bit. No one wants to be invaded in the Elden Ring by a guy wearing a basic robe who is actually high-level gear in disguise.

The core appeal of most RPGs is the fantasy/wish-fulfilling power that comes with being a conquering adventurer/rogue, and one of the best parts of that is being able to create your own build and identity. Transmogrification is a key way to achieve this, and it’s great to see it being added to Cyberpunk 2077. Hopefully, it will be a feature in more games in the future.

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