Cyberpunk 2077 hotfix makes mods safe — these are the best ones

Cyberpunk 2077 hotfix mod
(Image credit: CD Projekt Red)

Some Cyberpunk 2077 bugs are just plain funny, but others have potentially devastating consequences. Earlier this week, developers CD Projekt Red warned players not to install third-party mods or custom save files due to an oversight that could have let hackers put some nasty executable malware on your PC.

At the time, CD Projekt Red promised to issue a fix “ASAP”, and it turns out that they stuck to their word, as a patch has appeared just three days later.

Hotfix 1.12 is, according to the developers, an extremely focused patch that addresses the security risk by fixing both a buffer overrun issue and removing or replacing non-ASLR DLL files. 

You should find your platform of choice automatically applying the update, but do make sure you’re running version 1.12 before you download any mods or saved files, no matter how interesting they look. Once applied, you should be reasonably safe to download anything that strikes your fancy, though it’s always worth looking at what others are saying before taking the plunge.

The best Cyberpunk 2077 mods 

As you might expect for a game that managed to sell 13 million copies before all hell broke loose, the modding scene for Cyberpunk 2077 is pretty vibrant, with all kinds of add-ons to make your (PC) game more enjoyable. Some of modes improve the general experience by making crowds behave more believably, improving the mini map or making the cars and bikes feel more comfortable to control.

Others Cyberpunk 2077 mods make a very good looking game (again, on PC) even better by adding HDR, improving draw distances or making the weather more depressingly realistic

Or if you fancy a whole new look, then this cel-shaded reskin gives Night City and all its occupants a Borderlands-style vibe. Veterans of The Witcher may want to go a step further and make the game third person, like CD Projekt Red’s previous hit. 

The point is that there’s plenty of choice out there, now that CD Projekt Red has announced that it’s safe to go back to exploring. If, on the other hand, you prefer official patches to getting your hands dirty yourself, then you shouldn’t have too long to wait. The developers have already promised another substantial bug fixing patch this month, and there’s also plans for free DLC down the road. 

You can see the full roadmap here, though PS5 and Xbox Series X owners will be disappointed to see just how far down the road their free next-gen upgrades have been pushed. 

Alan Martin

Freelance contributor Alan has been writing about tech for over a decade, covering phones, drones and everything in between. Previously Deputy Editor of tech site Alphr, his words are found all over the web and in the occasional magazine too. When not weighing up the pros and cons of the latest smartwatch, you'll probably find him tackling his ever-growing games backlog. Or, more likely, playing Spelunky for the millionth time.